As elections near, politicians start showering sops even if it is a time of recession. Ahead of elections, TDP president Chandrababu Naidu is promising every needy family in Andhra Pradesh a colour television, complete with cable connection.
"We are offering colour TV to all poor people and also middle class. In the villages, there is only one entertainment, TV channel, and most poor people are not having colour TV," he said.
By announcing this, Naidu wants to do a Karunanidhi. The man once famous for wielding the mouse and laptop now wants to use TV as the remote control to open the electoral vote-bank.
He is also promising a very ambitious cash transfer scheme by which very needy families are to get a direct cash transfer of Rs 2000 per month, less needy families will get Rs 1500 and the middle class Rs 1000. Defending the move, Naidu says the extra bill of Rs 18,000 crore to exchequer owing to the scheme is 'manageable'.
"I am asking Chandrababu Naidu, how do you meet this expenditure? Where are you going to get the money from? Earlier you said these things are disastrous," Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K Rosaiah said.
So, if you are a voter in Andhra Pradesh and are planning to buy a colour TV set today, it is better you put off the purchase till May 16.
