Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Make Janmabhoomi a poll issue, Naidu tells Cong.

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD April 8. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has dared the Congress to make "Janmabhoomi'' an election issue in 2004.

``We will say "yes'' to Janmabhoomi and let them say "no.'' Let us see what happens. They will get fewer seats than before,'' he declared at a Telugu Desam training session here on Monday.

In his 80-minute speech, Mr. Naidu spared no punches to hit out at the Congress whose leaders from Sonia Gandhi downwards decried his pet programme and lately stepped up attack on the Telugu Desam and his Government.

The Telugu Desam had retained power in 1999 in the face of a general anti-incumbency sentiment because of its performance. If the Congress desired to come to power, it should shed negativism, mud-slinging and instead demonstrate better ideas and do better than us, he said, quickly adding, "they will never do that and we will be back again. That is for sure.''

In its comeback bid the Congress, he noted, was trying to download leaders from Delhi, brushing aside and taking over the reins from the State leaders. The Congress was nursing dreams of resurgence on the strength of recent victories. In many big States, it was not in a position to contest, let alone win, in 50 per cent of the seats such as UP and West Bengal. It won mere 25 seats in the largest State. It benefited from the mistakes of incumbent Governments and not from its own strength. It won where there was no alternative. No such chance in Andhra Pradesh, he said, as long as it obstructed popular programmes like Janmabhoomi.

Mr. Naidu was addressing the penultimate and 20th batch of functionaries from Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts. So far 280 out of 294 Assembly constituencies have been covered, attended by nearly 5,000 out of 6,115 members, working out to 81 per cent. No other party organised training in such a methodical manner. In oblique reference to the Congress training camp in Krishna district, he said, "They never talk about values. They only talk about how to come back to power.''

He said Janmabhoomi was only complementary to the activities of panchayati raj bodies and not intended to undermine them. He appealed to farmers not to raise boiled rice, as it had no takers. He wanted the Neeru-Meeru scheme taken up with missionary zeal. The acute drinking water scarcity in Kurnool was a grim reminder of the consequences of neglecting water conservation. He had spoken to the Karnataka Chief Minister, S. M. Krishna, seeking his help for release of water.

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