Cong hopes to improve tally in next AP elections

Hyderabad, Jun 10 (UNI) The ruling Congress is hopeful of improving its tally in the next Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, with the party expecting to win 36 MP and 230 MLA seats.

Riding on the crest of development ushered in by both the Union the State Governments, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, taking part in the extended APCC meeting, today said ''we are the reigning champions. We are ready to take on challenge from any party. With the leadership and guidance of AICC member in charge of party affairs in the State M Veerappa Moily, the Congress would do extremely well in the next elections and improve its tally.'' Highlighting the developmental programmes and welfare schemes taken up by his government and the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, including loan waiver scheme for farmers and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he claimed that ''we are doing extremely well in the eyes of the people.'' Urging the partymen to get ready for the polls, which was hardly ten months away, Mr Moily, who was also present, said the Congress enjoyed the ''feel good factor'' which could overcome the anti-incumbency factor in the elections.

He, however, ruled out any revision of guidelines for the loan waiver scheme to include more farmers.

The Chief Minister asked the party functionaries to ensure that eligible farmers benefitted from the scheme well before the deadline of June 30.

APCC President D Srinivas asked the partymen to organise 'loan waiver melas' in front of all bank branches from July one and highlight the achievements of both the governments.

The country achieving nine per cent growth in the last four years enabled the party to provide debt relief to peasants and it was AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who was responsible for extending the scheme to cover more farmers, he added.

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