Supporting the TDP Government on the issue, the BJP general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu told a press conference here that the schemes sought to be kept in abeyance by the EC did not attract provisions of the poll code of conduct, as they were launched much before the announcement of the election schedule.

The commission had, in its directive on July 15, asked the State Government to put on hold the ambitious gas subsidy scheme that envisaged the supply of ten lakh cooking gas connections to rural women, `Aadarana' involving distribution of tool kits to rural artisans and financial assistance component of the `Janmabhoomi' programme.

The BJP leader appealed to the Commission to reconsider its order as the welfare programmes were on-goingones, conceived and launched long ago.

Meanwhile, the TDP demanded an apology from the Congress for ``pressurising'' the EC into issuing the directive and said the Opposition party would have to ``pay (a) heavy price'' in the coming polls for ``obstructing'' developmental programmes in the State. The Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party (TDPP) leader K Errannaidu, State Ministers T Devender Goud and A Madhav Reddy alleged at a press conference here that the Congress was adopting a negative approach and was twisting facts pertaining to the schemes. They hoped that the Commission would reverse its order and allow unhindered implementation of the schemes.

Meanwhile, at a separate press conference, the State Congress president Y S Rajasekhar Reddy questioned the Government's sincerity in implementing the programmes and pointed out that though Aadarana was introduced last year, not a single beneficiary received the promised tool kit till now.

``With the elections round the corner, the Government is hurriedlygoing ahead with the programme to lure voters,'' Reddy alleged.