CM takes calculated snipes at Cong.

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, OCT. 31. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, took a calculated snipe at the Opposition, the Congress in particular, on two counts - for creating hurdles for an amicable solution to the RTC strike and for undermining the credibility of the `Dial Your CM' programme.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu hit out at the Congressmen for `distorting facts' on the RTC strike and resorting to violence. `They are damaging buses. Who are they helping by these undemocratic acts?. People, employees or RTC management?', he asked.

He was addressing a meeting of the office-bearers of the Telugu Desam-affiliated bodies at the NTR Bhavan here on Wednesday after administering oath to signify assumption of their duties.

The Opposition brinkmanship would not do any good to the striking employees nor to the political parties. The damage to RTC property would further deepen its financial crisis. Remedial options could include hike in fares or cut in salaries. "If they think it will fetch votes, they are mistaken. They will have to pay a heavy price'.

Government was eager to end the impasse and had already taken steps in that direction. If the political parties

had no positive contribution to make, they might as well `keep mum'. The party chief asked the new office-bearers to give people the correct picture.

Rattled by the spanner Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy threw into the 148-week old `Dial Your CM' programme, he would arrange for the press to watch it and the Leader of the Opposition could come accompany them and `monitor' it. It was strange that Dr. Reddy should make a `gandaragolam', enlisting the media as witness, and implicating the "CM's peshi".

This was proof of how low one could stoop. Mr. Naidu said he was initially accused of getting the programme by virtue of his equation with the NDA Government and `misusing' it for image- building. When the Centre offered it to all the States, a few States showed initial enthusiasm like Kerala and Maharashtra and could not sustain it.

In contrast, it was being run without a break in AP. Every week, over 20,000 calls were made, but only five or six could materialise. The programme was serving a good purpose. Some callers complained against Ministers and himself too. This was one way of accountability of the rulers. Dr. Reddy by his attacks tried to jeopardise its credibility.

The Chief Minister asked partymen to give the people the right perspective on the current reforms. `Reforms is all about better efficiency, not always privatisation'. Reforms with a human face was the buzzword, be it in the communist or capitalist set-up, democratic, dictatorship or monarchic forms of Governments'.

In his hour-long speech, Mr. Naidu made a frank assessment of the affiliated bodies and asked them to work in tandem with the parent body and to actively work for the success of `Food for Work', campaign against untouchability and other programmes.

The president and secretary of each of the 11 affiliated bodies and cells were administered oath and introduced to the gathering.

They include Messrs N. Amarnath Reddy & Arvind Kumar Goud (Telugu Yuvatha), N. Rajakumari & G. Sudha Rani (Telugu Mahila), B. Narsa Reddy, A. Raghava Rao (Telugu Rythu), A. Prabhakara Rao, L. Ramana (BC cell), B. Narasimhulu, V. Ramaiah (SC cell), A. Chandulal, N. Jayaraju (ST cell), K. Ravindra Kumar, P. Satyapal Reddy (Legal cell), S.A. Khaleel Basha, Mir Hyder Ali Khan (Minorities cell), K. Narasimhulu Naidu, P. Saibaba (Cultural cell), R. Rammohan Rao, Satish Kumar (TNTUC) and C. Raghava Rao, secretary of Traders' cell. Mr. K. Ramakanth, president, was not present.

Mr. K. Srinivasulu, general secretary in charge of affiliated bodies, welcomed the gathering.

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