The Hindu : Naidu puts dissidents on notice

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 29, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naidu puts dissidents on notice

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 28. Infuriated with the rampant dissension in the party ranks over the seat sharing arrangement with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Telugu Desam Party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, today threatened to expose the dissidents before the people.

Speaking to presspersons at the NTR Bhavan, Mr. Naidu made no secret of his annoyance over partymen who were taking out processions and staging protests against the allotment of certain seats to the BJP. He said he would not hesitate to give a call for people to debate on their actions and teach them a lesson.

Without naming anyone, he said it was highly unfortunate that certain leaders who had enjoyed position and power through their association with the ruling party were now trying to undermine its prestige. He said he was working for 20 hours every day to choose the right candidates and was motivated by no consideration in their selection other than the public support they enjoyed.

Mr. Naidu said partymen must understand that the TDP had entered into an electoral alliance with the BJP in order to secure more funds for Andhra Pradesh from the centre. In fact, during the last five years the State had got optimum funding from New Delhi.

He asserted that the Congress would not cross the double digit mark in the Parliamentary election. With every election, its strength in the Lok Sabha was diminishing. He was sure that the Congress would face a serious crisis after the elections since regional parties were gaining strength at its cost.

The TDP chief said it was a measure of her ignorance of the political situation that the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, had expressed surprise over the allotment of 42 Assembly and six Lok Sabha seats to the TRS long after the agreement had been reached. She was oblivious of what was happening in Andhra Pradesh.

He pointed out that Sonia Gandhi's popularity rating was nearly 20 percentage points less than that of the Prime Minister, A. B. Vajpayee. Yet, instead of setting things right in her party and selecting the right candidates and, she was participating in road shows. He said he himself was spending several hours every day to tackle the problem of dissidence in his party.

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Andhra Pradesh