BJP State president D. Purandeswari has reiterated that Andhra Pradesh has fallen into a debt trap, and it is a matter of grave concern.
State Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy is trying to play down the issue through the media, Ms. Purandeswari said while addressing the State office-bearers of the party here on August 23 (Wednesday).
Ms. Purandeswari said that Mr. Rajendranath Reddy had only projected the loans mobilised officially, but cleverly did not show the debts raised through mortgage of government properties and assets, and through various corporations. This apart, the government had diverted the funds provided by the Centre to the panchayat raj bodies, she alleged.
“The series of campaigns launched by the party has helped in enlightening the people in general and investors in particular. The fact that the bonds floated by the government through the A.P. Beverages Corporation have no takers proves this,” she said.
Diversion of funds
She said that the sarpanches, cutting across party lines, had joined the agitation against the diversion of funds given to the panchayats.
“Not only sarpanches belonging to the Jana Sena Party (JSP), but also those of the Opposition TDP and the ruling YSRCP joined the agitation,” she added.
Ms. Purandeswari alleged that corruption was rampant in the supply of sand, sale of liquor and mining operations.
Dig at TTD chief
Referring to the appointment of B. Karunakar Reddy as Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Ms. Purandeswari said that Mr. Karunakar Reddy had earlier affirmed that he was a Christian. She sought to know how a person who had no faith in Hinduism could stop religious conversions.
Referring to the decision to privatise the Visakhapatanam Steel Plant (VSP), Ms. Purandeswari said that the Centre would not do injustice to the workers of the plant.
On the Polavaram irrigation project, she said it was a national project fully funded by the Centre, but the State government had to own up responsibility for the design faults.
She said that former Chief Minister and TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu had agreed to the special package, but was taking a U-turn now.
She called upon the office-bearers to take the party workers into confidence and reach out to the people to create awareness about the welfare activities being undertaken by the BJP-led government at the Centre, and strengthen the party.
BJP State co-in-charge Sunil Deodhar, national executive member Somu Veerraju, and State vice-presidents P. Vishnu Kumar Raju and former MLC P.V.N. Madhav were among those who participated in the meeting.
