Date:01/12/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/12/01/stories/2003120102780600.htm

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Congress manifesto to focus on development

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Nov.30. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president, D. Srinivas, has said that the party manifesto for the coming Assembly elections will focus on welfare and development by giving priority to the irrigation and power sectors.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Mr. Srinivas said the manifesto would seek people's mandate on the basis of policies which could be implemented. He said he would constitute study groups on various areas including agriculture, irrigation, power, education and health. The groups would submit their reports to the manifesto committee which would be appointed later.

On the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's charge that there was a nexus between the Congress and naxalites, he said that it only exposed the "inefficiency" of the Government in solving the problem.

He criticised Mr. Naidu for using official functions organised in connection with literacy programme for indulging in election campaign.