TDP will intensify stir in support of farmers

Hyderabad, Aug 7 (UNI) The main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh will intensify the party's stir against the ruling Congress government in protest against the alleged ''acute shortage of fertilizers, power and diesel'', and demanding a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 1000 per quintal of paddy for farmers.

Addressing a press conference here today, TDP Farmers' Wing President C Muthyam Reddy said, ''we will join hands with like-minded parties and farmers' organisations to step up the stir.'' Thanking Governor N D Tiwari for immediately speaking to Union Fertilisers minister Ram Vilas Paswan over telephone and arranging six rail rakes of fertilizers after a TDP delegation called on him, Mr Reddy alleged that on the other hand, the ''so-called farmer-friendly'' government remained indifferent to the plight of farmers.

Opposing the recommendation of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Committee to provide paddy growers only Rs 850 per quintal as MSP, he said, ''the TDP will spearhead the stir along with the other parties till the UPA Government at the Centre enhances the MSP to Rs 1000 per quintal.'' Disputing the state government's contention that there was no fertiliser shortage in the state, he asked why were the farmers taking to streets, in that case.

He demanded the government to ensure supply of four lakh tonnes of fertilisers, uninterrupted power and diesel to farmers who had taken up cultivation belatedly due to delayed rains.

He criticised the state government for not increasing power generation capacity significantly to ease power shortage.

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