Nothing but old wine in new bottle: Lok Satta on TDP policies

The Telugu Desam Party has failed to unveil any new policies to bale the State out of the present all-round crisis, charged State Lok Satta Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao today.

In a media statement, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that TDP President Chandrababu Naidu tried to rehash his old policies in a new format, going by proceedings at its Mahanadu at Gandipet on May 27 and 28. Among the main failings of the TDP, here are some:

• The TDP continues to swear by debt waiver for farmers as a panacea for the agricultural crisis instead of advocating freedom to the farmer to sell his produce anywhere at a price he can command.

• It talks about giving party tickets to some rich BC candidates in elections instead of entrusting them with key posts and providing quality education and skills millions of ordinary BCs and overhauling the reservation system to render them justice.

• Although the TDP sings paeans of itsfounder N. T. Rama Rao, it remains silent on his pet dream of empowering local governments with devolution of powers and resources.

• The TDP has not clarified how many of ordinary youth will benefit from allocation of 33 percent of party tickets to youth, as it is the children of party leaders including Mr. Chandrababu Naidu who hogged the limelight at the Mahanadu.

• The TDP, which is as guilty as the Congress for plunging the State into a crisis on Telangana, has failed to come up with a solution like the Assembly passing a resolution and sending it to the Center.

• The TDP promises to abolish belt shops (illegal liquor outlets) forgetting that belt shops flourish so long as retail liquor trade continues to be in the hands of private operators.

• Although the TDP has resolved to fight against corruption, it does not spell out measures like institution of a strong and independent Lokayukta, making the ACB autonomous and provision of services to citizens as a matter of right. Its demand for the resignation of a few ministers facing charges of corruption will not address the systemic problem.

• Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, who talks of a third front coming to the power at the Center and the TDP playing a pivotal role in it, has failed to address the likelihood of a coalition government emerging in the State as well.

Mr. Sinivasa Rao finally debunked the TTD claim that its income in 2012-13 was only Rs.2.10 crore and expenditure Rs.5.40 crore. If the party revealed how it managed to conduct its Mahanadu and padayatras on a grand scale on such a meager budget, the Lok Satta would like to emulate it and strengthen itself.