TDP to step up stir for Shinde, YSR's resignation

Hyderabad, Oct 12 (UNI) Contending that the Supreme Court had severely indicted the Andhra Pradesh Government for granting pardon to Congress worker Gouru Venkat Reddy, TDP President N Chandrababu today announced stepping up agitation to press for the resignation of Union Power Minister and then state Governor Sushil Kumar Shinde and Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

''The TDP would organise state-wide protests in front of the collectorates on October 14 to expose the ruling Congress in the 'people's court,' Mr Naidu told a press conference here.

''When the Congress came back to power at the Centre, the office of the Governor was once again subject to 'misuse for the sake of political expediency,'' he alleged, questioning grant of pardon by Mr Shinde.

Refusing to accept Mr Shinde's explanation that he had acted only on the basis of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution, Mr Naidu maintained that the Governor had been vested with a power by the constitution only to exercise on 'public consideration.' The court had observed that the rule of law could not be compromised on grounds of 'political expendiency,' he pointed out.

Exercising power as a constitutional entity, Dr Reddy cannot shirk responsibility by saying that the officials had committed procedural lapses, he claimed, demanding that he step down following the footsteps of former Chief Minister Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (also former President), who had resigned under similar circumstances.

Camping at New Delhi, Dr Reddy had campaigned for the ouster of then Chief Minister N Janardhan Reddy, who had been indicted by a court of law, Mr Naidu claimed.

The third file signed by Chief Minister was the one relating to parole for Venkata Reddy, he said and claimed that Dr Reddy while he was the leader of the Opposition, had visited in the jail and even asked the jail authorities to take good care of him.

UNI SM PR KP1905