''Set your house in order", TDP tells Cong.

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, OCT. 15. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has advised the Congress(I) to set its house in order and learn to play the role of a constructive Opposition party, instead of attacking the State Government on "frivolous" grounds.

Reacting sharply to the criticism of the one-year TDP rule by the Congress(I) spokespersons, five TDP leaders led by Mr. C. Ramachandraiah, MP, flayed the Congress(I) leadership "for not measuring up even to the role of Opposition in which it was cast".

They said the goings-on in the State Congress(I) reflected the plight of the party for want of direction and mature leadership. It was unable to conduct even its organisational elections and a woman leader, Ms. Kumudben Joshi, who served as the Governor, was humiliated and made to run away from the State.

Mr. Ramachandraiah said a strong Opposition was essential in a democracy and the TDP expected the Congress(I) to fill the bill. But its performance was disappointing. Rejecting the Congress(I) charge that the TDP was dragging its feet on the elections to the panchayatraj bodies, he said "the Congress(I) cheated by going back on its promise to support the Constitutional amendment bill to restructure the PR set-up".

He said the TDP faced many elections since its inception and was not afraid of polls. He questioned the moral authority of the Congress(I) to criticise the TDP after the conviction of a former Prime Minister belonging to that party in a corruption case. The TDP official spokesperson, Mr. R. Chandrasekhar Reddy, Mr. K. Rammohan Rao and Mr. Sukhender Reddy, MPs and Mr. Tulasiram, TDP vice-president also participated in the press conference.

Referring to Mr. K. Rosaiah's charge that the power tariff in AP was 10 times higher than the tariff in the U.S., the TDP leader said the comparison was odious as the system of cross subsidies existed in the State. The Government was committed to the process of reforms and some harsh decisions were inevitable. It was deplorable on the part of the Congress(I) and the Left parties to try to force the Government to reverse the reform process by violent agitations.

Mr. Chandrasekhar Reddy found fault with the Congress(I) and the CPI(M) for boycotting the House Committee set up by the Speaker to study the issue of power tariff. The Opposition parties were afraid of getting exposed if a comparative study was made by the committee on power reforms in all the States.

Mr. Reddy said the TDP was implementing the promises it made in the election manifesto and there was nothing wrong in correcting the lapses in schemes like Adarana. It was unfair to criticise even the various missions set up by the Government to achieve targets in programmes like literacy coverage.

About unremunerative prices to farmers, Mr. Ramachandraiah said it was a phenomenon owing to glut in the foodgrains. About 44 million tonnes of buffer stock existed and the Central Government was toying with the idea of free distribution to certain categories. There were problems in adjusting to the World Trade Organisation regime which would be overcome in course of time. The plan outlay was stepped up by more than Rs.2,800 crores this year. He regretted that the Congress(I) should remain silent over the injustice done to the State by the Eleventh Finance Commission.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : TDP-BJP alliance will sustain, says Venkaiah Naidu
Next     : Accord signed for Rs. 640 cr. project