Date:03/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/03/stories/2008060358940300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

TDP chief flays Congress

G. Ravikiran

No work has been completed in the last four years, he says

TIRUVURU (Krishna District): Former Chief Minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday came down heavily on the development slogan of Congress government, saying nothing had been done in the last four years except for “a significant growth in the rate of corruption.”

Addressing a press conference before the start of his ‘Meekosam Chaitanya Yatra’ here, Mr. Naidu said that the Congress leadership had spent all its energies to “make illegal money” and “help contractors amass lots of wealth in the name of projects.” He said no work had been completed in the last four years and the situation was no different in Krishna district.

Good response

Mr. Naidu expressed satisfaction over the good response to his roads shows, saying the public response was very good in the four Assembly constituencies he had toured. The law and order situation was unsatisfactory in three constituencies, where false police cases had been foisted on the TDP cadres.

The TDP chief said that the results of by-elections in Telangana had shown that the party candidates had fared very well in 14 Assembly constituencies. There was no truth in the Congress’ contention that the TDP had lost vote share in the region. “We have, in fact, increased our vote share,” he maintained.

Mr. Naidu evaded direct reply to a question whether Telangana sentiment could be termed the dominant issue in the by-elections. He said the party had formed a committee to examine the issue.