Naidu favours polls before March

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu favours assembly polls in the state before March 2004.

In his first interaction with the media after Governor Surjit Singh Barnala dissolved the assembly following a cabinet recommendation, Naidu said it will not be proper for a caretaker government to be in office for too long.

Also see: Governor dissolves assembly | Also see: AP not ready for polls: CEC
 
In Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh said Andhra Pradesh is not ready for an election in February. Lyngdoh told NDTV 24X7: "The state electoral rolls can be revised only by the end of January."

Naidu, however, believes holding elections in March will not be such a good idea. "We can't have elections in March as students will be busy with their exams," he said when his reaction was sought to Lyngdoh's statement.

He said his Telugu Desam Party will make a represention to the Election Commission. "It's examination time in March. No school building will be available for use as polling booth. It's better to have polls before that," the chief minister said.