Congress will retain power: PCC chief

Congress will retain power: PCC chief

State’s policies well-received by people, he says

Padayatras helped Ministers understand people’s problems

GO including Toorpu Kapus in BC list issued, say leaders

VISAKHAPATNAM:

Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu is losing sleep over the fact that the Congress would retain power in the State and the Centre, thanks to the many programmes and schemes the party had launched covering all sections of the people, APCC president D. Srinivas said at a meeting held at Chodavaram on Saturday evening.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the State and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Centre had initiated many welfare measures, which were not implemented in the past or never thought of by any government. The programmes and policies of the Congress and the UPA were very well received by the people and it was certain that the Congress would retain power in the next elections, Mr. Srinivas said. He was addressing a meeting organised by the Congress to mark the conclusion of the first phase of padayatras by the Ministers and MLAs in the district. Similar programmes were held all over the State. Ministers K. Rosaiah, Konathala Ramakrishna and Botcha Satyanarayana, party MLAs and leaders participated in the meeting. A large number of Congress party workers and supporters were present.

Mr. Srinivas noted that Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy’s padayatra in the past had inspired others and many were conducting similar programmes. The padayatras by the Ministers and MLAs helped them understand better people’s problems and also find solutions.

Dig at Chiru

The PCC president also criticised Praja Rajyam leader Chiranjeevi. Without mentioning his name, Mr. Srinivas said that one person was coming claiming that he was the people’s man. But people would not believe him even if he tried to talk on lines of caste and religion as they needed a leadership that would deliver good governance to them.

Mr. Rosaiah said Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy in spite of the burden on the State budget went ahead with many programmes and schemes since they would benefit the people. Even a farm labourer was happy under the present Congress rule, he claimed.

Mr. Ramakrishna and Mr. Satyanarayana, during their speeches, referred to the placards held by some persons demanding inclusion of Toorpu Kapus in the BC list and said a GO had already been issued to that effect and they would talk to the Collector if the GO was not being implemented.

Advice to Ganta

MLAs Karanam Dharmasri and Gandi Babji along with president of District Cooperative Bank and former Minister Balireddy Satyarao lashed out at former MLA of Chodavaram and Praja Rajyam’s district and urban convener Ganta Srinivasa Rao for challenging Mr. Ramakrishna to contest against him in the forthcoming elections.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao came here from a distant place but dared to challenge Mr. Ramakrishna, they said.