Power tariff hike will spell doom for Congress

Tirupati: The decision of the State government to increase power tariff has stirred up a hornet's nest as the opposition parties TDP, YSRCP, BJP and Left Parties launched protests demanding the government to withdraw its decision. In this backdrop, the Left parties, including all the opposition parties, gave a bandh call on Tuesday in protest against the government's decision. All parties exuded confidence over defeating the ruling Congress party in the ensuing assembly elections. The TDP leaders promised the people that they would provide good governance if it comes to power. Similarly, the YSRCP leaders reiterated that the next government would be formed by the YSRCP led by YS Jaganmohan Reddy. TDP leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu said that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has no vision over power policy and has no guts to get power from private mercantile power production companies. During the TDP regime, the people enjoyed uninterrupted power supply and their party never imposed financial burden on the people, he recalled Former minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said that the Congress government had won only 26 seats in 1994 elections and the same situation would repeat in next general elections. The power crisis had pushed several parties into oblivion as the people taught them a lesson during the elections, he said. The Telugu Desam had lost power just because of electricity issue and the same would be repeated for the ruling Congress party, he said. The distress of people would be reflected through vote and certainly the Congress has to eat a humble pie in the next elections, he opined. Tirupati MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy alleged that there was a nexus between the TDP and Congress. The people would teach them a lesson in the next polls as the Congress has failed to address their problems, while the main opposition party the TDP was not fighting against the anti-people policies of the government. CPM district secretary Kumar Reddy said that already people are waiting for elections and certainly they would give a mandate, which would go against the ruling party. The people are not in a position to bear financial burden, he pointed out. "Unfortunately, the State government has no vision and seriousness on the welfare of the people. Hence, it was least bothered about the problems of the common man," he said.