The Hindu Business Line : PM seeks stronger mandate for NDA

THE Prime Minister, Mr A.B. Vajpayee, has urged the people of Andhra Pradesh to give the National Democratic Alliance, of which the Telugu Desam and BJP are members, "a stronger mandate on the basis of our performance."

He was addressing a public meeting here on Wednesday afternoon along with the Chief Minister, Mr Chandrababu Naidu.

He said the NDA had "a definite strategy to revitalise Indian agriculture and give a boost to agro processing industries" and it would be clearly stated in the manifesto soon to be released. "It will usher in progress in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that a national commission for fisheries would be constituted to benefit the 5 crore fishermen in the country. "We have many other such ambitious schemes on our agenda and you have to give us a stronger mandate to implement the unfinished agenda," he said.

Showering praise on the Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, he said Mr Naidu set excellent standards in all that he did, whether it be giving boost to the IT sector or organising the Godavari pushkaram fete. He urged people to vote the Telugu Desam to power in the State and the NDA at the Centre.

Criticising the Congress for levelling "irresponsible charges and carrying on a misleading campaign on unemployment," he said the NDA Government had done a lot to improve employment opportunities, but still a lot more needed to be done. "But we have inherited the problem from the Congress like so many others. We are striving to improve self-employment opportunities," he said.

In a lighter vein, he urged the public "to give the Congress a chance to sit in the opposition and learn to be responsible."

Referring to the project to link rivers, he recalled that it was the brainchild of the late engineer from Krishna district, Dr K.L. Rao. "The Congress did nothing, but we will turn his dream into a reality," he said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to take up the mega Polavaram project on the Godavari which would be a great boon to five coastal districts. He said 3,000 tmc feet of Godavari waters were being wasted and the project would be of great help.

He criticised the Congress for aligning with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and he also alleged the Congress was in nexus with the Naxalites.

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