The Hindu : `BJP alone can ensure development of backward areas'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 16, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

`BJP alone can ensure development of backward areas'

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, FEB. 15. The Bharatiya Janata Party president, M Venkaiah Naidu, has said that the BJP alone could take up development of backward regions in the country such as Telangana, Rayalaseema, Vidarbha, etc.

Launching the party's election campaign in the north Telangana districts by addressing a well-attended gathering at a public meeting here at the Ambedkar Stadium on Sunday evening, Mr Naidu alleged that the Congress during its regime had neglected the development of the backward regions including Telangana. Flaying the Congress for raising the Telangana issue for political gains in the elections, he said that the Congress had weakened in the State and is going in for alliances with small parties such as the TRS, Left parties, Majlis, etc.

Calling upon the people to decide between development taken up during the five-year BJP regime and the 50 years of Congress rule in the country, he said that the Congress during its regime was worried about its own development and neglected several backward regions. He ridiculed the Congress' promises of developing Telangana, Chattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and other regions after attaining power. There were no roads and drinking water facilities in over 2 lakh villages during the Congress regime, he observed.

Attributing the growth of various extremist groups due to the Congress `misrule' in the country, Mr Venkaiah Naidu said that the BJP is striving hard to end extremism in the country by taking up various initiatives. With regard to Left wing extremism in Andhra Pradesh, he said that "there is no place for violence in a democratic set-up.'' Naxalites cannot achieve power through the barrel of a gun and only peace in the region could ensure development, he added. With regard to minorities, he alleged that the Congress is using Muslims only as a `vote bank' and had neglected their development. He charged the Congress with indulging in propaganda against the BJP on the minorities' welfare. He called upon the minorities to join the BJP and participate in the development of the country.

Union Ministers, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Bandaru Dattatreya, U Krishnam Raju, former BJP president, Bangaru Laxman, the State BJP president, N Indrasena Reddy, former MLAs, G Ramakrishna Reddy, Kota Srinivas Rao, T Venkataramana Reddy, the BJP district president, P Sugunakar Rao, and others were present.

Commitment to develop

Telangana reiterated

The Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Bandaru Dattatreya, reiterated that the Bharatiya Janata Party is committed to the development of the backward Telangana region. He flayed the TRS and the Congress for using the `Telangana sentiment' for political gains.

Mr Dattatreya said that the barren lands in Telangana and other backward regions of the State would be transformed into fertile tracts by utilising the surplus Godavari waters.

With regard to the naxalites specifically targeting the BJP and TDP leaders in the State, he charged that the targeting of BJP/TDP leaders shows that the TRS, Congress and Left parties were in collusion with the naxalites.

The Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, exuded confidence that the Vajpayee Government would take up projects on the Godavari for the utilisation of surplus waters.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh