Date:12/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/12/stories/2005091217260100.htm

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YSR upbeat on Congress prospects

Special Correspondent

`Severance of electoral alliance by TRS will not make any difference'

HYDERABAD: The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had parted ways with the Congress "due to a misunderstanding" but it would not have any impact on the party's prospects in the municipal elections.

Speaking to The Hindu on the party's strategy for the elections, Dr. Reddy said he would have been happy if the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had sailed with the Congress in the municipal polls too.

"The TRS had participated in the Government though we had an alliance with the Leftists in the last general elections. Its Ministers never had any problem with me," he said.

Claiming that the Telangana Jagarana Sena (TJS) floated by the TRS "resembles the RSS,'' he said even hardcore Telanganites might not like the idea of having a lathi-wielding unit, "whatever its leaders say about the purpose of the outfit."

He denied injustice to Telangana in the allocation of funds as claimed by the TRS president, K. Chandrasekhara Rao, and said the latter's information was wrong. The projects in Telangana had been earmarked more than 42 per cent of the total outlays.

Achievements galore

Dr. Reddy said his Government's good work in implementing the poll promises and the "inclusive development model" adopted for the urban centres would be his party's strengths. Reservations to the Muslim minorities in education and employment, overall uplift of the poor, package for weavers and the developmental works were his advantages.

"Development under TDP rule only meant widening or laying a couple of roads while providing a median. We concentrated upon localities where amenities are needed. Housing, ration cards, creation of livelihoods and access to easy credit at nominal interest for the poor are some of our achievements. Garbage disposal methods have improved the quality of life", he added.

He said differences with the Leftists in seat adjustments were minor. Kurnool problem was a local one and confined to the Kurnool Municipal Corporation alone.

TDP charge baseless

As for the problem of rebels in the party, he was confident that the prospects of official candidates would not be hampered. "Anyway efforts are on to get them withdrawn", he added. There was no hitch in Khammam too and the ruling party was confident of sweeping the elections, he said.

On the petition of the TDP to the State Election Commission against the alleged coercive methods of the ruling party, he said "if the TDP thinks that we resort to their methods, I can prove them wrong. Let there be a probe into the complaints."