Naidu Govt Will Fall After Poll: Reddy

Senior Congress leader K Vijayabhaskara Reddy yesterday predicted the fall of the N Chandrababu Naidu government after the elections due to the serious revolt within the ruling Telugu Desam. He claimed the Congress would win 41 of the 42 seats in Andhra Pradesh, and would emerge as the single largest party.

In an informal talk with mediapersons in his residence here, he said there were already signs of a revolt within the ruling party, and came down heavily on Naidu for the suicide by as many as 178 cotton farmers in a period of three months, he said. According to him, Naidu lacks vision to rule the state.

 

A chief minister who lacks such a vision and fails to take preventive action has no business to remain in office. He should quit forthwith, Reddy, a member of the Congress working committee, said.

Stating that such problems were common, Reddy recalled that when he was the chief minister, a similiar situation was faced by the cotton and tobacco farmers. He said he took immediate steps by persuading the Centre to export cotton from Andhra Pradesh, thus averting a serious crisis.

When tobacco exports to Russia fell after the break-up of the Soviet Union, he again persuaded the Centre to provide Rs 100 crore as credit to Russia to enable the latter import virginia tobacco from the State, he said.

Reddy charged that minister of elementary education K E Prabhakar was arrested, and later released for commiting an election offence by entering a polling booth in Krishnanagar in Kurnool and stamping of ballot papers on February 16.

Reddy is seeking re-election from Kurnool, and demanded the immediate sacking of Prabhakar from the council of ministers. He should also be debarred from contesting any election, he said, and added that the party would soon approach the Chief Election Commissioner on the issue.