Date:19/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/19/stories/2008111954720400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

“YSR is in people’s heart”

Staff Reporter

Naidu, Chiru can only vie for Opposition leader’s post: Moily

‘People in no mood to disturb the pace of welfare schemes’
Foundation laid for drinking water project

GUNTAKAL: The next Assembly elections in the State will only be fought for the Opposition leader’s post by N. Chandrababu Naidu and Chiranjeevi, as Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had won a place in people’s hearts with various welfare and development schemes, AICC general secretary Veerappa Moily said here on Tuesday.

People were not in a mood to disturb the pace of welfare and development schemes and the Opposition’s dream of wresting power would remain a mirage, he said after laying the foundation for a drinking water project and municipal office building here on Tuesday.

Naidu targeted

Reminding people of how Mr. Naidu was a ‘king maker’ in the NDA rule, Mr. Moily said the former had failed to get classical language status for Telugu, while Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy and Sonia Gandhi had succeeded. Only the Congress could ensure stability and national integration, he said.

The AICC general secretary suggested people to restrict Chiranjeevi to films as he would be left disappointed with lack of support for his ‘political adventure.’ Even Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was not in a position to wrest the Chief Minister’s seat from Dr. Reddy.

Claiming that there was no comparison between the Congress and the TDP, he said the Rajasekhara Reddy government was building 80 lakh houses for the poor and giving social security pensions to 70 lakh persons. Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana, J.C. Diwakar Reddy, N. Raghuveera Reddy, legislators Y. Sivarami Reddy, N. Neelavathi and others also spoke.