Monday, February 21 2005 15:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: Lambasting the Congress Government in Andhra Pradesh for its 'failure' in all spheres, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today (Feb 21, 2005) accused the party of going back on its poll promises during its nine-month rule.

Taking part in a debate on motion of thanks to the Governor's address in the State Assembly in Hyderabad, leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that hundreds of farmers had committed suicide in the last nine months as the Government had "failed to come to their rescue".

In his speech, often interrupted by members of ruling party, including some Ministers, Naidu alleged that a single farmer in Pulivendula, the Chief Minister's constituency, was provided assistance though thousands of distressed farmers registered their grievances at the Government help-line.

The Government, he said, "had betrayed the farmers' trust by modifying the free power policy and restricting it to certain categories".

The Government had failed to provide water for irrigation to farmers in Krishna delta area; cotton, tobacco and tomato farmers were resorting to distress sale but the Government did not come to their rescue, Naidu added.

He also demanded that Municipal polls be conducted on time "to test the popularity of Congress". Terming the drought situation in the State as very serious, he said thousands of people from affected villages were migrating to other States in search of livelihood. There was acute drinking water scarcity in 50 per cent of the villages and there was distress sale of cattle due to fodder scarcity, he added.