Date:09/10/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/10/09/stories/2004100906580400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP has no right to raise ryots' issues: Congress

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, OCT. 8. The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has said the Telugu Desam has no right to talk about the welfare of farmers in the State, which it had "neglected'' during its nine-year rule.

The CLP leaders, Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, Bajireddi Goverdhan, Nadendla Manohar and J. Ratnakar Rao, in a statement on Friday, flayed TD leaders for "shedding crocodile tears'' for ryots.

They had neglected the farm sector and never bothered to redress their problems.

It was the same TD Government, which had ordered firing on ryots who were demanding reduction of power tariff.

They found fault with the TD for trying to gain the sympathy of farmers of Prakasam district who were lathicharged early this week.

The CLP members accused Opposition party leaders of trying to find fault with the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, for travelling to Mumbai on Wednesday for election campaign.

Doctors' strike

They said the allegation of the TD Rajya Sabha member, C. Ramchandraiah, and others that the Chief Minister had not bothered to resolve the strike by doctors was objectionable.

They said during Chandrababu Naidu's rule junior doctors went on strike for 45 days but the then Chief Minister never bothered to redressed their problems. Dr. Reddy had solved the problem in one day and it showed his concern for people, they added.