Date:12/12/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/12/12/stories/2003121205080400.htm

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

MP's remarks against Mandava baffle TDP leaders

By Our Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD DEC. 11. The district unit of the Telugu Desam Party has become a helpless spectator to the accusations hurled at the Minister for School Education, Mandava Venkateswara Rao, by the Nizamabad MP, Gaddam Ganga Reddy.

What started as an isolated remark a couple of months ago by Mr. Ganga Reddy today assumed serious proportions. Mr. Reddy is utilising all available platforms to run down Mr. Venkateswara Rao. If the Ministers and other elected members continued to highlight the development works taken up by the Chief Minister, Mr. Ganga Reddy's statements were contradictory, which are embarrassing the party. The MP's tirade against Mr. Venkateswara Rao has given rise to speculation that the former might quit the TDP.

Mr. Ganga Reddy was one among the couple of TDP MPs who had quit the party and joined the Congress during Mr.P.V.Narasimha Rao's tenure as Prime Minister. He subsequently quit the Congress to return to the TDP fold and won two consecutive elections. The first time when Mr. Ganga Reddy denounced the lack of development in the district at the party forum, the leaders kept quiet. But the frequency of his criticism of the party more particularly, Mr. Venkateswara Rao, went up. The most recent remarks which shocked everybody was at the District Irrigation Development Board meeting last month.

Mr. Ganga Reddy at the meeting directly criticised Mr. Venkateswara Rao and minced no words in charging that there is a `one man show' (referring to Mr. Venkatewara Rao), going on in the district. He charged that he was deliberately ignored by the officials and leaders and wondered why the authorities took decisions without consulting him. The Nizamabad MP, who was elected thrice to the Lok Sabha, is known to keep a low profile and his sudden change of attitude has come as a surprise to party circles.

Mr. Reddy's criticism of Mr. Venkateswara Rao reached a flashpoint two days ago when the former addressed a press conference in the house of a Congress leader in Dharmaram B village, which is the native place of the latter. This infuriated the TDP leaders, who demanded an apology from Mr. Ganga Reddy, for running down Mr. Venkateswara Rao. The Nizamabad MP at Dharmaram B village said that Mr. Venkateswara Rao had not contributed anything to the development of the district during the last 20 years.

Alleging that he was obstructing development, Mr. Ganga Reddy lamented that the development works, which he planned to take up were kept in cold storage.

He found fault with the School Education Minister who in his earlier stint as the Major Irrigation Minister, had failed to provide sufficient funds for the long pending, Guthpa and Alisagar lift irrigation schemes. He said the Rs. 25 crores funds sanctioned for the two schemes were insufficient.

Meanwhile, Mr. Venkateswara Rao has refrained from hitting back at his detractors. Seniors tried for a patch up between the two leaders but in vain. Sources said Mr. Ganga Reddy is in a belligerent mood and reportedly told his followers that he would be frank in his comments. The TDP leaders are at their wits end on how to tackle the sensitive issue which could have an impact on the coming elections.