AP farmers eagerly await PM's arrival

Eagerly awaiting the first-ever visit of the country's new Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, farmers in the state expect some real long-term solution from the economist-turned politician that could deter more from their community from resorting to suicides.

Singh despite his hard-line views on 'populism', has openly supported the state government's sop of free power to farmers and the farming community has also been reassured by the pro-farmer image of chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, after a long spell of indifference towards their issues by the previous TDP government.

The Prime Minister's proposed gesture of consoling the families of farmers who committed suicides besides interacting with the villagers on the problems they face, goes beyond a political gesture and could well become the basis for the possible financial package to be announced in the ensuing Union Budget.

The state government has set the farmers distress at the top of the agenda and plans to utilise the occasion to impress upon the Prime Minister the much needed help from the Centre for its ambitious plans to develop irrigational infrastructure besides implementing drought proofing measures.

After visiting the two villages in Kurnool and Mahaboobnagar districts, the Prime Minister will hold a detailed review meeting with state officials on the issues of agriculture and rural credit.

The state government has also prepared a detailed presentation for this purpose. An all-party delegation is also expected to put forth several requests before the prime minister.

Speculation is also rife that Manmohan Singh may decide to contest from Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency. A last minute change in the prime minister's itinerary, where a visit to Anantapur district was replaced by a village in Kurnool district which falls under Nandyal constituency have fuelled these speculations further.

Chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy though has refuted these reports. "There is no such proposal at any level. These are only a creation of the media," he said.