Naidu should come clear on FDI in retail

Hyderabad, Decmeber 10: YSR Congress has
demanded the TDP to make its stand clear on the FDI in retail sector as there
was lot of ambiguity in their pattern of voting exhibiting conflict of
interests.

"With the Party showing double standards in the pattern of voting in the
Rajya Sabha on the FDI issue, it has sent confusing signals and Chandrababu
Naidu should tell openly if he is totally against FDI," party advisor, DA
Somayajulu told reporters here on Monday. 

Conflict of interest is very clear in case of N Chandrababu Naidu as a
political Party he has been criticising FDI and his family has business
interests as they own Heritage Foods Limited. 

"Keeping this in view, we demand that Naidu should make clear if he
supports FDI or he rejects it outright. If he is against FDI he should give an
assurance that his family will not be a party to FDI in Heritage Foods."
he said adding that the Company is scouting for a strategic alliance with
offshore companies and looking for foreign investiments. 

There has been confusing signals from the TDP and Heritage Foods and it is
absolute necessary for Chandrababu Naidu to be categorical about his stand on
FDI, Party wise and his family business wise as well. 

The balme game shuttling between MPs and TDP should be stopped and this can be
done only when Naidu tells that his Party is opposing FDI and his family will
not invite foreign investments in any form, he said. 

"The issue becomes more serious with a top official
of Heritage Foods giving an interview to a Financial daily and making it clear
that they have decided to look for foreign companies in subsidiaries or other
forms." he said. 

The drought relief issue has not been taken up by Naidu at any point of time,
but YSR after coming to power has waived loans to farmers. During Naidu's
regime there was a spate of suicides due to his wrong policies. YSR has brought
in special packages to farmers, he added. 

He also flayed the false propaganda being unleashed by
Chandrababu Naidu on YSR's attitude towards tenant farmers and asserted that it
was only during YSR regime that farmers benefited most. Andhra Pradesh farmers
got a lion's share of Central funds during YSR regime, he said. 

He should also tell if he can waive crop loans and term loans as this is under
the purview of Prime Minister and we doubt if he can assess the quantum of
farmer loans, Somayajulu added.