Date:14/02/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/02/14/stories/2004021404770400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Hold Assembly poll in one go: CPI

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 13. S. Sudhakar Reddy, secretary of the State Council of the Communist Party of India, on Friday said polling for the coming Assembly elections could be held in a single phase instead of two or three phases as favoured by the State Government.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Reddy alleged that the ruling Telugu Desam Party was making a desperate attempt to see that the elections were held in phases to gain advantage. The CPI had decided to take up the issue with the Chief Election Commissioner.

He charged the State Government with arresting CPI and other opposition party workers in the name of having links with the People's War in several villages to prepare the ground for malpractice. The move was in tune with the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's campaign against the Opposition.

Mr. Sudhakar Reddy said despite the Election Commission's announcement that the model code had come into effect, the State Government was issuing large-scale advertisements and turning Government functions into Telugu Desam Party affairs. In a way, it seemed to be emulating the Central Government, which, he alleged, was carrying on a Rs. 400-crore "India Shining" campaign.

Mr. Reddy reiterated the party's stand that it was interested in contesting three Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly seats. The party, however, was prepared to hold negotiations on some of the Assembly seats in the interest of Opposition unity. He made an appeal to the Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi to come to an understanding as early as possible so that an agreement could be reached with others. He had discussed the matter with the AICC general secretary, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

He disputed Mr. Chandrababu Naidu's claim that the World Bank loan was coming at an interest rate of 5 per cent and that most of it was grant. If that were the case the APTRANSCO would not have refused to take loan from the World Bank, he added. Also, the TRANSCO later claimed that it had saved Rs. 450 crores by not going in for the loan.

He accused the Government of again promoting iodised salt "to benefit a multinational company" and threatened to launch a "salt satyagraha" against the move.