HYDERABAD, 15 November 2003 — The Telugu Desam Party government of southern Andhra Pradesh state yesterday dissolved the legislature in order to hold early elections, riding a wave of popular support after the top elected official was targeted by a rebel assassination attempt.
Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister of the state, received a leg injury and broken collarbone on Oct. 1 when his car ran into Claymore mines dangling from a tree on a forest road in the state.
The People’s War Group, which says 1,400 of its fighters have been killed by police forces during the past eight years under Naidu’s administration, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Maoist guerrillas are fighting for the establishment of socialist governments in five southern and eastern states.
Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party said in a resolution that it was dissolving the assembly and would hold elections 10 months early to “seek a fresh mandate from the people” to stamp out the guerrilla group. Naidu’s government said opposition parties have been encouraging extremism by calling for talks between the state and the guerrillas.
Naidu, whose party is allied with the Hindu fundamentalist-led party that heads India’s government, is known for aiming to make Andhra Pradesh the country’s most technologically advanced state. He won fresh support after the attack, and was apparently taking advantage of that popular enthusiasm to hold early elections, which he expects to win.
The Election Commission must set a date for the voting, which is unlikely to be held before February since an updating of voter rolls will not be complete until Jan. 15.
