Date:04/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/04/stories/2008060460670800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

People did not believe Congress’ development claims: CPI (M)

Special Correspondent

‘Ruling party won the few seats by misusing official machinery’
‘People taught TRS a lesson for forcing unnecessary elections’

HYDERABAD: The CPI (M) State Committee said the results of the byelections showed that people did not believe in the “development mantra” chanted by Congress and restricted it to a few Assembly segments.

These few seats too were won by the ruling party by misusing official machinery and distributing money and liquor, the party said in a resolution adopted at the two-day meeting of the Committee that ended on Tuesday.

The meeting thanked voters for supporting the party in Musheerabad and Cheriyal and for teaching a lesson to TRS for forcing unnecessary elections on people and defeating the communal BJP.

Tall claims

It said the Government came up with tall claims of development but the reality was otherwise with poor people and middle classes reeling under price rise and drinking water shortage. Houses built under Indiramma programme remained incomplete with Government cutting down funds, denial of bridge loans and steep hike in prices of steel and cement.

Rajiv Gandhi Swagruha did not take off.

In tribal areas, the situation was worse with tribals dying from fever and diarrhoea.

The tribal rights law was not implemented properly while the promise to recognise all tribal habitations as panchayats remained on paper.

Job cards

Job cards under the National Rural Employment Guarantee programme was denied to lakhs of people and not even a single farmer received benefit from the crop loan waiver scheme.