Regional parties only interested in power: Rajasekhara Reddy

Hyderabad, May 14 :Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today came down heavily on the opposition Telugu Desam Party(TD) and stated that regional parties were only interested in votes and power and not service to people.

Addressing the plenary of the PCC which was held as 'Rededication Conclave' on the occasion of his government completing two years in office, Dr Reddy said Congress party's main rival in the state was a regional party and the Congress workers should perceive the ''stand taken and the line of thought of this regional party.'' ''The Congress workers should be alert to the Goebbels style campaign they continuously carry out against the party and should counter it effectively'', he pointed out.

Referring to the opportunistic stand of regional parties, Dr Reddy said at one time TDP joined hands with communal forces like BJP to get votes. ''Later, when they realised that BJP cannot get votes for them they dumped it.

This culture of the regional parties should be explained to the people clearly'', he said.

The Chief Minister said national parties work in a democratic atmosphere. If the democracy is exceeding its limits in national parties, the regional parties try to project that aspect as dissidence in a party. ''We have to tackle the regional parties very systematically'', he added.

Referring to the culture of rigging in the state, Dr Reddy alleged that he first noticed rigging in Rayalaseema region only when a regional party came into existence in 1983.

He charged that a regional party wanted votes ''by hook-or-by crook''.

UNI