Date:09/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/09/stories/2008040959531200.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP warns against display of YSR’s photo in ration shops

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party has warned the Government against forcing the ration shop dealers to display Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s portrait while supplying rice under the Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme being launched on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, Telugu Desam Legislature Party deputy leader Kala Venkata Rao took exception to the way Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy was insisting on such display and asking the Congress workers to oversee the scheme.

“It is a Government scheme funded by taxpayers and not by Congress, Dr. Reddy or by the Agriculture Minister,” he said. He wanted the Government to run the scheme without showing a political bias, like it did in the case of Indiramma housing.

Mr. Venkata Rao said the Government need not take credit for the rice scheme, as it was totally a TDP programme launched by its founder N. T. Rama Rao. The TDP had just decided to revive it when the Government got wind of it and hurriedly made the announcement.

Even otherwise, it was not doing the people any favour as it was spending Rs. 1,100 crore it earned from encouraging “belt shops” and sale of cheap liquor, he alleged.

Referring to the Chief Minister’s proposal to allot Rs. 100 crore for a market intervention fund to stabilise prices, he said it would not be sufficient and wanted it to be increased to Rs. 500 crore.

Mr. Venkata Rao reiterated that the party legislator, Karanam Balaramakrishnamurthy, had not made any comment against the Assembly Speaker, K. R. Suresh Reddy.