Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

PCC endorses free power promise

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Oct. 19. The executive of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has endorsed the promise of free power to the farmers with none of the speakers raising any dissenting voice at its meeting here on Saturday.

This ran contrary to the expectations of a fierce debate on the controversial issue.

The "unpleasant decision'' of the Congress Government in Punjab scrapping the facility enjoyed by the farmers hitherto did not deter party leaders who chose to project it as a dire need of the farmers in the State. The APCC president, M. Satyanarayana Rao, presided.

``Short of adopting a resolution, the executive had given its stamp of approval to the free power promise at the end of a free and fair discussion,'' Mr. Rao told reporters at the end of the meeting.

The critics of the CLP leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who has been vigirously campaigning for free power, were expected to strike a discordant note in the light of the Punjab Government's decision. But Dr. Reddy, who himself refrained from speaking at the meeting, carried the day with almost all speakers endorsing his stand.

There were snide comments over the way Dr. Reddy sought to project the issue during his whistle stop tour of eight districts last month. But the unanimous view that emerged was that the party should stick to its promise of providing the relief to the farmers.

The CLP deputy leader, J.C. Diwakar Reddy, went a step ahead and suggested that the party should also think of other populist measures like providing subsidised meal daily to the targeted poorer sections. His contention was that that the TDP president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, was bound to come up "with some bright idea'' to woo the voters. Free power is being sought by other under-privileged sections like weavers and rickshaw pullers and it would cost the exchequer more than Rs. 300 crores as estimated by the party, he opined.

The former Chief Minister, N. Janardhan Reddy, MP, suggested that the PCC president and the CLP leader should go to Delhi and secure the endorsement of the high command to avoid controversies that were damaging the interests of the party.

The former Union Minister, G. Venkataswamy, pleaded that the executive d adopt a resolution on the issue for the purpose of sending a clear message to the people.

The former deputy Chief Minister, Koneru Ranga Rao, said the party gained immensely by promising free power in the last elections and the farmers deserved the relief in the present circumstances.

The APCC Kisan cell chairman, K. Bapi Raju, the CLP deputy leader D. Srinivas, were among the strong advocates of the incentive to the farmer. The PCC vice-president, K. Rami Reddy, the official spokesman, M. Sridhar Reddy, and others spoke.

The CWC member, Sarojini Pulla Reddy, the AICC secretary, V. Hanumantha Rao, the former Union Minister, P. Shiv Shankar, also participated in the meeting but did not speak. The party MP, Renuka Chowdary, spoke on national issues.

Briefing mediapersons on the deliberations, the PCC chief spokesman, K. Rosaiah, explained that a resolution on the issue was not preferred as the executive was not the appropriate forum for the purpose of including it in the party's election manifesto. The manifesto committee was the appropriate forum, he maintained. None of the members spoke about the Punjab Government's decision as "priorities of each State differed,'' he replied to a question.

The executive adopted a resolution flaying the "casual attitude'' of the Government towards the grim drought conditions in as many as 933 mandals. It wanted all fresh levies imposed on farmers and other sections of society withdrawn and postponement of all recoveries.

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