Congress takes strong exception to TDP allegation

Hyderabad, Aug 3 (UNI) The ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh today crossed swords with the main opposition TDP over the latter's charge that Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was taking ''suitcases'' to New Delhi to get favours from the Congress High Command.

Talking to newspersons here, Pradesh Congress Chief Spokesman P Venkata Rao said that before making such an irresponsible statement, by the TDP leader, he should find out what was inside the suitcase - ''clothes or money,'' Party Spokesperson N Tulasi Reddy said it was highly improper on the part of the TDP leader to stoop to low levels at a time when the Chief Minister was busy demanding more central funds for various projects in the state.

At a separate press conference, Rural Development Minister G Chinna Reddy took strong exception to the allegation of the TDP leader and questioned his credentials.

Claiming that the TDP leader had built a hospital on government land in Nagarkurnool, the Minister said efforts were on to take back the land.

The TDP leader had ''eaten away'' the rice allocated by the previous NDA Government for the Food-for-Work Programme, the Minister alleged.

Meanwhile, State Congress Women's wing President Ganga Bhavani recalled Congress President Sonia Gandhi's ''great sacrifice'' of not accepting the Prime Minister's post after leading the UPA to power in the last general elections and threatened the TDP leader that he would have to incur the wrath of women in the state by making such ''uncultured'' and ''baseless'' allegations.

UNI