The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP sounds election bugle

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Thursday, Nov 06, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP sounds election bugle

Y. Mallikarjun and Ramesh Susarla

“Yuva Garjana” marks Balakrishna’s formal entry into politics

Telugu Desam unveils ‘YES’ policy for the youth
Sops include
Rs. 1,000 a month
to the jobless

NTR PRANGANAM (GUNTUR): Telugu Desam Party sounded the election bugle through its mammoth ‘Yuva Garjana’ held here on Wednesday, which also signalled the formal entry of filmstar and N.T. Rama Rao’s son Nandamuri Balakrishna into politics here on Wednesday.

The meet which witnessed a near-stampede situation in the enclosures surrounding the dais was also used by the party to unveil its youth policy named ‘YES’ (Youth Empowerment Scheme). The scheme envisages several measures to provide jobs for the youth through allocation of Rs. 50,000 crore over a period of five years.

TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu who announced the scheme said that a separate ministry would be created to implement it. Slew of sops announced at the meeting include loans at 10 paise interest rate, an unemployment allowance of Rs.1,000 per month, and free education for poor students among the forward castes.

Describing youth as a political powerhouse, he said positive change could come only through their involvement and expressed satisfaction over support from the youth to the party at a time when some defectors deserted it. He also announced a Rs. 500-crore budget for the minorities with a 5 per cent reservation for Muslims if TDP returned to power. On Telangana, he said the party would go as per the sentiments of the people and not force its decision on them.

Whenever the name of Nandamuri clan was invoked, it met with rapturous response from the teeming crowds. Mr. Balakrishna declared that he was taking up the political responsibility unable to tolerate the present situation in Andhra Pradesh and gave a call to the youth to throw out the “corrupt Congress.” He said his services would be available to the party and recalled that NTR had given preference to the honest and efficient youth to enter the portals of Assembly.

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