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Sonia defends nuke deal

— Photos: K. Ramesh Babu

REACHING OUT: AICC president Sonia Gandhi waves to the massive crowd as Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy looks on at Anantapur on Thursday.

ANANTAPUR: All-India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi has defended the UPA government’s decision to enter into a civil nuclear agreement with the United States saying that it was a historic development that would go a long way in meeting India’s energy requirements.

"We need to increase the pace of development on a par with other big countries. For this, we need to produce more and more power, for which more nuclear plants are needed," Ms Gandhi said while addressing a massive public meeting here on Thursday evening, virtually launching the Congress party‘s election campaign in the State.

Winding up her eight-hour-long tour of three Rayalaseema districts at this rally, the Congress president said more nuclear energy would mean electricity for farmers, industries, homes, villages and towns and for the whole country. Earlier in the day, she addressed a gathering of women belonging to self-help groups in Tirupati and inaugurated the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies at Idupalapaya in Kadapa district, close to where Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has his farm, called YSR Estate.

Dwelling at length on various initiatives taken by UPA government as well as the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh, she said the Congress alone could protect the interests of all sections. Referring to the ‘historic’ waiver of farm loans to the tune of Rs. 66,000 crore, she said the hard work of the farmers had given the country self-confidence and pride and the Congress was there to respond whenever they needed support.

Stating that no other party had genuine commitment and feeling for the people, she said: "Congress believes in taking the country forward economically and creating an atmosphere of brotherhood between different groups and religions." Ms. Gandhi’s speeches were replete with praise for Dr. Reddy’s contribution to the development of the State. Unlike the previous Telugu Desam Party government, the Congress regime here gave the highest priority to irrigation.

The AICC president, who visited Anantapur district for the fourth time since 2001, said she had seen the courage of the farmers of this drought-prone district. After the Congress party came to power, the government paid special attention to the district and chose it for the national launch of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. “We are proud that A.P., particularly your district, leads in the implementation of the programme," she remarked.

Dr. Reddy took a dig at the new party launched by Chiranjeevi as well as the ‘Mee Kosam’ yatra of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu. "The TDP leader, who ruled the State for nine long years has not done even a single good work. A cinema actor has started the new party to seek votes. Public service is not akin to cinema acting," he commented.

APCC president D.Srinivas said the pioneering work done in the last four years left no doubt that the Congress would retain power.

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