Date:13/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/13/stories/2004121305510400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

BJP ridicules TRS claim on meet

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 12. The BJP is of the view that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which could not make State leaders of its alliance partner -- Congress -- turn up at its rally on Saturday, is making a "big show" of sharing a platform with parties at the national level.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, the BJP State general secretary, K. Laxman, said the rally was meant to lift the spirits of "demoralised TRS cadre." It was also intended to prevent the exodus of TRS Ministers and MLAs to other parties, he felt.

The TRS president, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, talked about garnering the BJP's support on Statehood since he doubted that the Congress might ditch it, he felt. The BJP would make its stand clear if Mr. Rao spoke his mind, Mr. Laxman added.

He claimed that the report of the Jayati Ghosh-led commission on farmers' welfare was hollow and lacked a concrete solution towards prevention of their suicides. The commission confined itself to picking holes in the TDP Government's policies.