TDP demands PM,FM resignation, blames UPA for Amarnath crisis

Anantapur, Aug 15 (UNI) The opposition Telugu Desam Party(TDP) while blaming the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) Government for ''inept'' handling of the Amarnath land-for-pilgrim issue, today demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram for their ''total failure'' to bring the price situation under control.

Talking to newspersons here following the TDP Polit Bureau meeting chaired by party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, TDP Parliamentary party leader K Yerran Naidu said Dr Singh and Mr Chidambaram, as also Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, remained ''clueless'' even as inflation for the week stood at an all time high of 12.44 per cent. ''Various sections of people are hit hard by skyrocketing prices of essential commodities'', he added.

Mr Yerran alleged that the Prime Minister had ''mishandled'' the Amarnath land-for-pilgrim issue, which had hit normal life in the Jammu region.

The UPA Government should evolve a consensus on the issue among major parties and end the stalemate between the Jammu and Kashmir Government and Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti(SASS), spearheading the agitation in Jammu.

The Polit Bureau, which met, coinciding with conclusion of the ''Meekosam'' yatra by the TDP President to strengthen the party in the State, decided to constitute a Committee headed by former Finance Minister Y Ramakrishnudu for working out ways and means to implement the promises made by the party supremo.

The major promises made to the people by the former Chief Minister, included free rice scheme for the poor, gold for Mangalasutra for poor women's marriages and free power for 12 hours for farmers, as against for seven hours supplied by the Congress Government now.

The Party also decided to spearhead an agitation against the coastal corridor project between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam, as the same was detrimental to the interests of farmers and fishermen.

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