Regional parties to play key role in govt formation: TDP chief

Regional parties would play a key role in formation of next government at the Centre, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu said tonight and appealed to people to rid the country of the "corrupt and inept" Congress rule.
"The Congress-led UPA government is steeped in one too many corruption scandals. The BJP is also not in a position to regain power. So, it will be the regional parties who will hold the key to the next government at the Centre and TDP will get to play a crucial role once again at the national level," the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh asserted.

The Telugu Desam president was addressing a mammoth public meeting at the Andhra University Engineering College ground here tonight, marking the culmination of his 208-day "Vastunna Meekosam" paadayatra.
He promised to put the state back on track of progress if his party was voted back to power in the next elections.
He said he would announce a slew of schemes, including waiver of crop loans to farmers, for various sections of the society if he was made Chief Minister again.
The former chief minister said, "I was moved by the plight of people, be it farmers, women, youth, or unemployed. There were many experiences during the course of my 208-day foot march. These very people became my strength and helped me complete the 2817-km journey despite many hardships".

Andhra Pradesh was synonymous with development when the TDP was in power but now it has become the "corruption capital of India", he lamented.

Expressing anguish that people were pushed into misery due to growing corruption, inefficiency and indifference of the Congress government, Chandrababu said no section of the society lived in peace.
"Women are feeling insecure due to growing atrocities. Farmers are facing untold hardship not only because of natural calamities but also the indifference of the government. Even engineering graduates are unable to secure jobs. Industries in the state were shutting down due to lack of power. Even drinking water has become a scarce commodity," he stated.

The TDP, if voted to power again, would take every step to ameliorate the woes of all sections of people, Chandrababu assured and promised to dedicate himself to the people's cause till his last breath.
All the top leaders of TDP and film star Nandamuri Balakrishna addressed the estimated three lakh gathering.