Will waive off all agricultural loans on becoming CM: Naidu

Hyderabad, Dec 10: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief

has promised a massive waiver of all agricultural loans in

if his party wins the next Assembly elections.

Going a step further, he has urged farmers not to pay interest on the loans till the polls which are slated for 2014 but could well be held a year earlier in case the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government loses its majority due to some ruling party MLAs crossing over to the Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress.

During his marathon padayatra across Andhra Pradesh, Naidu has repeatedly said that the first file he will sign after the TDP comes to power would be the one related to waiving off each and every outstanding agricultural loan as well as the interest accrued on the same.

At present, the former chief minister is midway through his 2,340-km long walkathon. The Vastunna Mee Kosam, launched on Oct 2, is expected to conclude on Jan 26, 2013.

Though Naidu is enthused by the response to the padayatra, he is not sure that the majority of voters will exercise their franchise in favour of his party's candidates.

Besides the loan waiver, the TDP has therefore assured free supply of ration rice and electricity to the poor once the party forms the government.

It remains to be seen whether Naidu will again be able to rule the state, thanks to these assurances. Since the state exchequer is invariably drained whenever such populist schemes are implemented, officials are reportedly keeping their fingers crossed.

OneIndia News