Party wants Centre to reconsider hike in urea, fertiliser price

Stressing that at a time when the party is trying to broaden its mass-base, Naidu said agricultural inputs are a very sensitive issue for the peasantry and the party should not pose itself as ‘‘anti-farmer party.”

‘‘The party notes that there is a hike in the prices of urea and other fertilisers. However, the additional expenditure of Rs 27,000 crore on food subsidies and the recent increase in minimum support price for rice and wheat will be of an immense benefit to the farmer,’’ added Naidu.

He lauded Singh for swapping the debt of the states — more than Rs 80,000 crore — and observed that it ‘‘will go a long way in easing the fiscal burden of the states and strengthen federalism in the country.’’