The Hindu : BJP likely to seek more seats from TDP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP likely to seek more seats from TDP

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JAN. 27. The BJP will not negotiate with the Telugu Desam Party on seat-sharing until the election schedule is notified.

This view was taken at a meeting convened by the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, with the State units of the party belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry to discuss election-related issues in Chennai on Monday.

The meeting was, however, of the unanimous view that the BJP should claim more seats from the TDP than it had contested in the last Assembly and parliamentary elections, the spokesmen of the party's State unit— S.V. Seshagiri Rao, K. Laxman and G. Kishan Reddy— told reporters here on Tuesday.

It was decided that the Central leadership would depute two senior leaders to guide the negotiations between the State leaders and the TDP. No discussion on the number of seats to be claimed or the names of the candidates was held at the meeting, they said, and added that the session was limited to a general review of the strength of the party in various Assembly and parliamentary constituencies.

Mr. Seshagiri Rao maintained that the Central leaders, including the general secretary, Sunil Joshi, and secretaries— Lalita Rangarajan and L. Ganesan— met the State leaders separately to review the political situation in the State after Mr. Naidu's opening remarks. Eleven leaders represented the State unit.

Mr. Kishan Reddy said regional meetings of the BJP at Karimnagar on February 12, Tirupati on February 13 and Bhimavaram (date not decided) were finalised in consultation with Mr. Naidu. The first two meetings would be attended by Mr. Naidu and several Central Ministers, State leaders and film stars and the last one most likely by the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani. The date for the Bhimvaram meeting would be decided depending upon Mr. Advani's convenience. The crucial meeting of the State executive of the party would also be held at Tirupati on February 13 to discuss the election strategy and campaign.

Meetings with intellectuals were planned in order to enlist their support at Hyderabad, Warangal, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.

Mr. Laxman said behind-the-scene politics of the Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi were coming into the open. It was now clear that the Congress had instigated the TRS to raise the Telangana bogey initially and now both parties treaded on a common path.

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