05-10-2005, 12:06 AM
PTI reports on CBN's musings.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Relations with BJP had negative impact on minority votes: TDP
Press Trust of India
Hyderabad, May 9, 2005
 Â
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 TDP is not part of NDA, says BJP » Â
 TDP goes against NDA, attends Parliament » Â
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A year after its defeat and a week after signs of distancing from BJP, the <b>Telugu Desam Party has for the first time admitted that relations with the saffron party and the Gujarat violence had a "negative effect" on its minority vote bank in the last year's elections and appears to be keeping its options open on joining Left parties in forging a 'Third Front'.</b>
The TDP supremo and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who recently asked his party to keep away from the BJP-led NDA's boycott of Parliament and met DMK Chief M Karunanidhi triggering speculation about his future moves, is not yet ready to come out openly on what he proposed to do.
In an hour-long interview on Monday, he gave enough indications that he was not comfortable with emerging strident voices of 'Hindutva' in BJP and appeared warming up to a relationship with Left parties and constituents of the erstwhile United Front, though he was not sure when such a situation will evolve. "Whenever somebody fails and there is a political vacuum, it will emerge", is all what he would say.
Careful with words, the Leader of the Opposition in Andhra Assembly parried questions on his strategies and gave an impression that he would like to wait and watch at least till the next round of crucial assembly elections especially in West Bengal and Kerala where UPA constituents Congress and Left parties are main rivals.
"We have no relations with BJP. Whenever there were common issues, we supported. Sometimes, we even differed," is what he would say and not go further to questions whether last week's decision to break ranks with NDA on boycott of Parliament signalled the beginning of end of its relations with BJP.
<b>Naidu, in an introspective mood said, "We totally oppose Hindutva, we are committed to secularism and harmony among all communities. We are for resolution of Ayodhya dispute through judicial process and the court verdict should be respected by all."</b>
Explaining his party's stand, he said it was totally anguished at the time of post-Godhra riots and had asked for the resignation of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, which the BJP had rejected.
In protest, the party had refused to accept the Lok Sabha speakership after the death of TDP incumbent GMC Balayogi.
Asked why his party, on whose backing the NDA Government was surviving, did not withdraw support, Naidu said, "I did it differently."
Do your regret your support to BJP, he said, "I do want to go into what happened in the past. We will think about what we should do in the future. There are so many issues."
Elaborating on the point how relationship with BJP had adversely affected TDP, in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections when he lost power, Naidu said "The Gujarat problem did have a negative impact on the minorities support for TDP despite his Government's numerous steps for their welfare. We were not partners in NDA even when we supported the Government."
Even the support to BJP-led NDA coalition had a negative impact. Even now, in the coming municipal elections in the state we are not having any alliance with BJP," he said.
On why the party decided to end the parliamentary boycott, he said as a matter of opposition floor coordination his party supported the NDA on the issue of sacking of the tainted ministers from the Government but beyond a stage "we need to discuss issues in Parliament." Asked if BJP was unhappy over TDP'S decision to end the boycott, he said the BJP leadership had not talked to him after the party took the decision.
Asked about the significance of his meeting with Karunanidhi, he maintained that it was a courtesy call and no political meaning should be read into it.
"We are acting independently and we have done it on the basis of issues. We have taken note of Basu's statement," is all what he would reply.
On the possibility of Third Front and realignment of political forces, he said, "People are talking about it. Whenever there is a political vacuum, then it (front) will emerge. Third front or for that matter any other Front can emerge with parties who are now with NDA or UPA."
Asked when it would happen, Naidu who had played a leading role in the formation of United
Front in mid-1990s, said, "Whenever there is a vacuum and when somebody fails, there is the possibility of such a formation. That is how it happened earlier."
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He might be trying to revive the UF again. If he blames the TD electoral defeat on their association with NDA he is incorrect. In AP, TD got defeated because there were splits in his own party. His high handedness was a major factor that persuaded the officials that it was the right time to not support and rig as usual. Rural indebtedness and farmer sucides also played a major part. It is another matter that number of suicides increased after INC took over(- the reason is the grant of money to such cases provides incentive- INC should have limited the monetary help to a certain cutoff date before it got elected). The TD out of power has exposed the fragile nature of the progress shown by CBN.
On a side note AP politics is ruined for ever between the INC and TD.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Relations with BJP had negative impact on minority votes: TDP
Press Trust of India
Hyderabad, May 9, 2005
 Â
Related Stories [X] close
 TDP is not part of NDA, says BJP » Â
 TDP goes against NDA, attends Parliament » Â
 TDP justifies its decision to attend Parliament » Â
A year after its defeat and a week after signs of distancing from BJP, the <b>Telugu Desam Party has for the first time admitted that relations with the saffron party and the Gujarat violence had a "negative effect" on its minority vote bank in the last year's elections and appears to be keeping its options open on joining Left parties in forging a 'Third Front'.</b>
The TDP supremo and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who recently asked his party to keep away from the BJP-led NDA's boycott of Parliament and met DMK Chief M Karunanidhi triggering speculation about his future moves, is not yet ready to come out openly on what he proposed to do.
In an hour-long interview on Monday, he gave enough indications that he was not comfortable with emerging strident voices of 'Hindutva' in BJP and appeared warming up to a relationship with Left parties and constituents of the erstwhile United Front, though he was not sure when such a situation will evolve. "Whenever somebody fails and there is a political vacuum, it will emerge", is all what he would say.
Careful with words, the Leader of the Opposition in Andhra Assembly parried questions on his strategies and gave an impression that he would like to wait and watch at least till the next round of crucial assembly elections especially in West Bengal and Kerala where UPA constituents Congress and Left parties are main rivals.
"We have no relations with BJP. Whenever there were common issues, we supported. Sometimes, we even differed," is what he would say and not go further to questions whether last week's decision to break ranks with NDA on boycott of Parliament signalled the beginning of end of its relations with BJP.
<b>Naidu, in an introspective mood said, "We totally oppose Hindutva, we are committed to secularism and harmony among all communities. We are for resolution of Ayodhya dispute through judicial process and the court verdict should be respected by all."</b>
Explaining his party's stand, he said it was totally anguished at the time of post-Godhra riots and had asked for the resignation of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, which the BJP had rejected.
In protest, the party had refused to accept the Lok Sabha speakership after the death of TDP incumbent GMC Balayogi.
Asked why his party, on whose backing the NDA Government was surviving, did not withdraw support, Naidu said, "I did it differently."
Do your regret your support to BJP, he said, "I do want to go into what happened in the past. We will think about what we should do in the future. There are so many issues."
Elaborating on the point how relationship with BJP had adversely affected TDP, in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections when he lost power, Naidu said "The Gujarat problem did have a negative impact on the minorities support for TDP despite his Government's numerous steps for their welfare. We were not partners in NDA even when we supported the Government."
Even the support to BJP-led NDA coalition had a negative impact. Even now, in the coming municipal elections in the state we are not having any alliance with BJP," he said.
On why the party decided to end the parliamentary boycott, he said as a matter of opposition floor coordination his party supported the NDA on the issue of sacking of the tainted ministers from the Government but beyond a stage "we need to discuss issues in Parliament." Asked if BJP was unhappy over TDP'S decision to end the boycott, he said the BJP leadership had not talked to him after the party took the decision.
Asked about the significance of his meeting with Karunanidhi, he maintained that it was a courtesy call and no political meaning should be read into it.
"We are acting independently and we have done it on the basis of issues. We have taken note of Basu's statement," is all what he would reply.
On the possibility of Third Front and realignment of political forces, he said, "People are talking about it. Whenever there is a political vacuum, then it (front) will emerge. Third front or for that matter any other Front can emerge with parties who are now with NDA or UPA."
Asked when it would happen, Naidu who had played a leading role in the formation of United
Front in mid-1990s, said, "Whenever there is a vacuum and when somebody fails, there is the possibility of such a formation. That is how it happened earlier."
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He might be trying to revive the UF again. If he blames the TD electoral defeat on their association with NDA he is incorrect. In AP, TD got defeated because there were splits in his own party. His high handedness was a major factor that persuaded the officials that it was the right time to not support and rig as usual. Rural indebtedness and farmer sucides also played a major part. It is another matter that number of suicides increased after INC took over(- the reason is the grant of money to such cases provides incentive- INC should have limited the monetary help to a certain cutoff date before it got elected). The TD out of power has exposed the fragile nature of the progress shown by CBN.
On a side note AP politics is ruined for ever between the INC and TD.