'Chandrababu should respect people's verdict'

Hyderabad, May 14: Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K Rosaiah said the opposition Telegu Desam Party(TDP) leader and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu should respect the verdict of the people and ''take rest'', instead of trying to impede the progress of irrigation projects in the state.

Addressing the APCC plenary being held as the 'Re-Dedication Conclave' here, he alleged that the opposition was trying to create impediments to the Jala Yagna (Irrigation Initiative).

Mr Rosaiah alleged that Mr Naidu earlier said the ensuing Panchayat elections should not be considered as a referendum and demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, if the opposition got more than ten percent of seats.

He alleged that Mr Naidu's statements indicate that he was eager to occupy the the Chief Minister's seat, as he was yet to recover from the shock of his party's debacle in the last elections.

Mr Rosaiah also alleged that the TDP had incited the fishermen of the Gangavaram port and organised an agitation with a view of hamper the prospects of the Congress candidate in the bye-election to Visakhapatnam I constituency. However they could not succeed as the Congress candidate D Srinivas won the election with a margin of more than 14,000 votes, he added.

UNI