The Hindu : Congress desperate, says Chandrababu Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Congress desperate, says Chandrababu Naidu

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, FEB. 13. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, said here today that the Congress's talks to enter into an alliance with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) had exposed its desperate mood.

Talking to reporters during his transit halt at INS Dega airport on the way to Palasa in Srikakulam district, he said that being a national party, the Congress seemed to be suffering from a `now or never' syndrome.

"This clearly shows its leaders' panic reaction, bankrupt leadership, ideology and strategies,'' he said.

Mr. Naidu said a nation of 100 crore people would not accept the leadership of a person of foreign origin.

"The people are not prepared to accept the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's leadership.''

The Congress was in such desperation that it was "ready to go in for door-to-door alliance" to win the elections.

"I have seen several elections. Alliance or no alliance by the Congress with the TRS and other parties, the people are determined to vote for the Telugu Desam Party,'' he said.

'TRS is opportunistic'

The TRS president, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had no commitment to Telangana and he had decided to rake up the issue only after he was refused a ministerial berth.

The TRS, which had abused the Congress almost daily, blaming it for the backwardness of Telangana, was now showing interest to align with that party. "Such an opportunistic party will vanish after the polls.

It is unfortunate that even a section of Communists, who fought for a united Andhra Pradesh, are now not averse to an alliance with the TRS,'' he said, adding that some parties would not mind aligning with the outlawed People's War to gain political mileage. "I am sorry that they are devoid of moral values.'' Mr. Naidu said the TDP was receiving excellent response from the public wherever he went on tour and they were convinced that the development achieved during the last eight-and-a-half years was unparalleled in history. "None can stop the speed of the cycle,'' he said, indicating that the TDP's election symbol would race ahead of those of other parties in the battle for the ballot.

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Andhra Pradesh