Naidu hits out at naxals, TRS

By Our Staff Reporter

NEKKONDA (WARANGAL), JULY 2. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has taken strong exception to the People's War Group (PWG) of naxalites giving poll boycott calls in the earlier elections and now asking people to vote for `some' parties.

In an obvious reference to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is inferred by the term `some' parties, Mr. Naidu wanted that such parties should be taught a lesson in the coming polls.

Mr. Naidu, who was addressing an election meeting of the TDP here on Monday, said extremism, factionalism and communalism must go for the all round development of the State, which was possible only under TDP rule. `Some' parties were talking about separatism, he said, referring to the TRS but real development of backward regions was possible only with united Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Naidu dared the Congress governments in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to supply free power, and asked why that party should make it an election promise whenever polls were around in the State.

He appealed to the people not to be misled by the hollow talk of Congress leaders and bailed out the power position in the State, saying it was handled effectively by the TDP regime. Mr. Naidu also gave statistics to show that his Government had invested huge sums on power front towards subsidies, erection of transformers, releasing power connections to pumpsets and transmission and distribution.

The Chief Minister criticised the Congress and other parties for trying to defame the TDP but expressed confidence that his party would emerge victorious as it had the support of women and weaker sections. The importance of weaker sections had been enhanced only by the TDP government, otherwise a few landlords belonging to upper castes cornered plum posts when the Congress ruled. These sections were the backbone of the TDP, he added.

Emphasising that the TDP government favoured strengthening the local bodies, Mr. Naidu said that it was proposed to set up tribunals at the district-level to solve problems related to gram panchayats and other statutory bodies. The funds released to the panchayats can be accounted for by gram sabhas. The TDP wanted efficient leadership at the village level to solve the local problems.

Mr. Naidu held the Congress responsible for the delay in the current local body polls saying the party wanted a three- tier set-up whereas it was refused by the Central Government. It was the Congress which did not hold polls to the local bodies for years in the seventy and early 90s which exposed the party's commitment to honour their role. The party was scared of going to the polls due to inherent defects.

The Chief Minister's address was interrupted by a large section of women, mostly tribals, trying to leave the venue even as TDP volunteers and the police repeatedly compelled them to squat. Mr. Naidu wound up his speech seeing the crowd get restive.

Accord with BJP likely

According to a report from Mahabubnagar, Mr. Naidu, lambasting the Congress, said that out of jealousy and hoping that the party would not come to power permanently it was planning conspiracies and separatist activities. Mr. Naidu said that the Congress had little respect for Panchayat Raj system and out of fear it could not conduct elections to the local bodies from 1975 to 1981 and again it avoided the elections in 1992.

The TDP president addressed a good turnout at Doulatabad, a remote mandal headquarters in the Kodangal Assembly constituency. There was good response from the people whenever he commented against the Congress. Later speaking to presspersons at the helipad, the Chief Minister said that the TDP and the BJP would come to an understanding in regard to the seat sharing.

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Section  : Southern States
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