Date:13/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/13/stories/2005051312420400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

CLP questions Naidu's stance towards ryots

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The commitment of the Leader of the Opposition, N.Chandrababu Naidu, for the cause of farmers was questioned by the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) here on Thursday.

In a letter to Mr. Naidu, the CLP secretaries, E. Pratap Reddy, K. Surekha and S. Gangaram and Chief Whip, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and whips, S. Udaya Bhanu and D. Sridhar Babu, on Thursday asked Mr. Naidu to clarify his policy towards farmers.

Referring to the "anti-farmer statements" of Mr. Naidu in the past, they asked whether he was prepared to apologise to the farmers for pursuing policies that were detrimental to their interest.

Listing the various pro-farmer measures adopted by the Congress Government to stabilise the rural economy, they said free power supply, waiver of power dues and ensuring supply of quality seed and pesticides were just a few among them.