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        Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu today said the Prime Minister has 'abdicated' his responsibility of bringing down the threatening inflation rate and charged Manmohan Singh with passing on the vital responsibility of the Central government to the States.

        Addressing mediapersons here, Venkaiah Naidu said the task of bringing down the soaring inflation rate and other essential commodities primarily rested with the Union government. 'The Prime Minister has been writing to the States to check inflation,' the former Union Minister said and opined that the States, though had a role in the matter, it was no doubt, secondary to that of the Centre.

        Stating that the rate of inflation has touched an all- time high in the last two years, Naidu alleged that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre is insensitive to the problems of the common man. 'This government does not have the commitment and political will to check price rise,' the BJP leader said.

        The BJP would launch its second phase of nationwide agitation against the UPA government on 23 March and it would conclude on 30 April. The focus of the agitations would be on inflation as common man is worst affected by it.

        The issues of terrorism, votebank politics and unrest among the farmers would also be taken up at the demonstrations to be organised at the district- level.

        Asked about the Cauvery issue, the BJP leader said linking all the rivers was the only lasting solution to it. A committee was set up during the NDA rule under Suresh Prabhu to study the ambitious plan. Estimates were also prepared. However, the UPA which came to power subsequently pushed the matter under the carpet.

        Centre should act swiftly and facilitate a meeting between the States to find an amicable solution.

        On the detention of Quattrocchi at Argentina, he said it was purely accidental. The CBI had sent an alert to the Interpol on the Italian arms dealer, during the 'infancy' of the Bofors Case. 'This alert was still alive and detention was effected as the international police acted on an old request,' Naidu said underlined that it did not happen because of the efforts of the Centre or CBI.

        Slamming the Centre for hiding the arrest of Quattrocchi for 17 days, Venkiah Naidu said it was done as the Congresss feared that the news, if broken out, would affect the prospects of the party in Punjab and Uttarkhand elections. 'The ghost of Bofors will haunt the Congress till it was taken to its logical end.'