The Hindu : AICC secy. disputes A.P. CM's statement

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002

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AICC secy. disputes A.P. CM's statement

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI NOV. 11. The AICC secretary, V. Hanumantha Rao, today disputed the statement by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, charging that the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, was biased against the State. Mr. Rao said Mr. Naidu had `misinterpreted' Ms. Sonia's remarks at the Mt. Abu Congress Chief Ministers' conclave that the Centre was showering plenty on the drought-hit State.

"Ms. Sonia Gandhi's intention was to urge the Congress Chief Ministers to take a cue from Andhra Pradesh which had been taking maximum central assistance from the Centre for carrying out relief works in the drought-affected parts of the State,'' Mr. Rao said. He said the Congress would not lag behind in ensuring that Andhra Pradesh would get its share of Central assistance for drought relief, but at the same time the party would also work to see that there was no `diversion' of foodgrains. Having earlier staged a `dharna' outside the Union Civil Supplies Minister, Sharad Yadav, alleging `bungling' and `diversion' of foodgrains, Mr. Rao said that he had petitioned the Centre to ensure that the poor and the needy were actual beneficiaries and not `TDP workers'.

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