CPI sees conspiracy to impose President’s rule in TN

Anantapur: CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy has alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to impose President’s rule in Tamil Nadu by creating a political deadlock via the Raj Bhavan and attempts to clip wings of States.

Sudhakar Reddy spoke exclusively to The Hans India on Saturday when he was here to take part in Tarimela Nagireddy centenary celebrations. The excerpts from the interview:

Q: What is happening at the Centre on release of funds due to Andhra Pradesh?
A: Pressure is being mounted on States with the BJP replacing the Congress at the Centre. States’ wings are being clipped through fiscal resources’ centralisation.

Earlier, the Congress had followed the same procedure. The Centre initially takes up schemes jointly with the States and finally, leaves their implementation to the States putting burden on them. The schemes are not only burdensome but also sap up States’ revenues. There is no scientific approach in sharing the funds with States.

Q: What is your response to the Union Budget for 2017-18?
A: It is pro-corporate and anti-poor. While the corporate tax has been reduced from 30 to 25 per cent, middle classes earning between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 5 lakh a year have been given only 5 per cent relief in Income Tax. In another slab, the IT has been hiked.

Q: What is your opinion on Narendra Modi’s recent criticism of Manmohan?
A: They are just cheap jokes. He resorted to levelling baseless allegations instead of giving replies to the Opposition on questions raised.

Q: Was granting Special Status to Andhra Pradesh a closed chapter?
A: Special Status would mean incentives to industries leading to rapid industrialisation and it in turn attracts 90 per cent of the Central funds as grants and special funding to specified projects. No additional funds were granted to projects in the State, including Amaravati, other than those approved in Parliament.

Q: What is the CPI’s take on power struggle in Tamil Nadu?
A: The BJP is fishing in troubled waters with a plan to grab power by splitting the AIADMK and seeks to ride back to power on the back of strong splinter group. The BJP does not want Sasikala to become the Chief Minister as there was a sinister plan to impose the President’s rule with the help of the Raj Bhavan. The CPI supports neither Panneer Selvam nor Sasikala as both do not enjoy popular support. There is something fishy in not convening the Assembly.