Consult high command for populist moves: Azad

 Congress ruled states are no longer allowed to announce populist schemes without prior approval of the party’s high command.

The direction came from AICC general secretary and Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who was “shocked” at the “massive” dimensions of the damage inflicted on the party by the “populist” measures of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. 

During the first coordination committee meeting set up to keep Congressmen together, Azad made it clear that  no new populist schemes be announced without the high command’s  approval. His observation came in the backdrop of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s claim of having given one lakh jobs as on December 2011 under Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu. The state government had also allocated Rs 1100 crore for the purpose of job creation exercises which Azad found rather silly. “Why do you need to spend so much for doing the job of  an employment exchange while  websites like Monster and Naukri dot coms do it for a fraction of the  amount,” Azad said.

Azad who had received numerous complaints against the CM advised him to drop all such programmes which could put the party in trouble. “YSR’s free power, tuition free and Arogyasree has put us in deep trouble,” Azad said.

Leaving the CM red faced, Azad told the eight member panel that the party should not make another mistake.