Assembly should discuss peoples issues: CPM

VISAKHAPATNAM: CPM state secretary BV Raghavulu on Sunday demanded that the government take steps for smooth conduct of the budget session of the Assembly starting Monday by allowing discussion on issues concerning the people of the state.In a press conference here on Sunday, Raghavulu hoped that the MLAs of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) do not fall into the trap of the ruling Congress which has no interest in discussing such burning issues in the Assembly. Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is giving top priority to safeguarding his post by ignoring the problems in the state while the TDP is failing to raise the problems of people in a proper way.He said there were many issues, including farm crisis, land problems, power traffic policy, excise policy and other issues, that need to discussed in the budget session. He charged the government and opposition parties with having wasted the valuable time in the last Assembly session by not discussing any major issues in the House. TDP and other parties had fallen into the trap of the ruling Congress party. CPM would launch massive agitation if Congress government hikes the power tariff, he said and added that the party is planning to undertake land struggle to ensure lands and houses for the poor from April this year.The Congress government failed to bring a new excise policy and land consumption policy apart from cancelling the lands illegally sanctioned to hazardous industries in the state, Raghavulu said.He found fault with Speaker N Manohar for dragging the issue of disqualification of MLAs of YSR Congress Party and Praja Rajyam Party though they had urged the Manohar to take action on them immediately. He demanded tha t Manohar uphold the democratic values and take immediate decision on the issue.