Date:28/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/28/stories/2005012807350300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Land distribution a damp squib: BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI. Jan 27. The Chittoor district (East) unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) has on Thursday termed the much-hyped State-wide land distribution programme launched by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Wednesday as a damp squib as by and large pattas were given to the farmers for the lands which were already under their use.

The Government gave a raw deal not only to the ex-servicemen, armed personnel who died in harness and to the physically challenged but to the minorities as well about whose welfare the Congress always claim to be interested in, said G. Narayanaswamy Naidu, BJP's State committee member.

Accusing the State Government of diluting free power scheme citing `lame excuses', the BJP also criticised it for conveniently ignoring the free power to one-bulb scheme.

The Congress had obviously projected the two schemes heavily during the elections only to garner votes, the party said.