The CPI (M) has criticised the Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy government for dilly-dallying on the issue of holding elections to local bodies under one pretext or the other.
The CPI (M) has said that the government had initially deferred the election to local bodies in the name of cases pending in the court over the rule of reservations.
Government 'drama'
But the government’s ‘dramas’ on the issue stood exposed as it did not announce any decision even after the court permitted conduct of elections on the basis of the 2001 census.
“In spite of tall claims by Congress leaders in the past on holding polls in May, uncertainty and speculation continue to haunt the elections,” CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu said.
He ridiculed claims by a section of Congress leaders describing the Chief Minister as ‘Dalit bandhu’ (benefactor of Dalits). “How can he (Mr. Kiran) be a benefactor when he is unable to appoint a chairman for the SC/ST Commission?” he asked.
Mr. Raghavulu expressed concern over the AP Electricity Regulatory Commission’s permission to collect fuel surcharge adjustment charges (FSAC) and said the Chief Minister should prove his claims and that there should not be any further hike in power tariffs. “Mr. Kiran Reddy should prove his credentials by abiding by the statement he made on the floor of the Assembly,” he said, adding that the Left parties would continue their agitation till the recently hiked power tariffs were withdrawn.
He made it clear that CPI (M) was against entering into adjustments with the Congress, the TDP, the TRS or YSR Congress as all of them encouraged the same policies. The Left parties would, instead, work towards setting up a platform where like-minded parties could join hands to mount pressure on the government’s ‘anti-people’ measures.