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Naidu says EC directive is unfair

The ruling Telugu Desam Party and its ally the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday termed as ''improper'' the Election Commission's directive to the Andhra Pradesh government to keep in abeyance welfare schemes till the election is over.

Reacting guardedly, Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu said it was not correct to single out the state as similar schemes were under way in other places. Justice should be the same for all, he said, pointing out that Madhya Pradesh had launched a scheme for free power supply to farmers.

He said the state government would approach the EC to urge it to give the green signal for pending schemes.

At a separate press conference, state BJP president Vidayasagar Rao said the directive was "not proper".

He questioned how the schemes, which were in place before the announcement of election dates, could be stopped. The decision appeared to be 'excessive', he added.

UNI

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