The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Naidu decries remarks on DWCRA members

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naidu decries remarks on DWCRA members

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, APRIL 10. The Telugu Desam Party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has taken exception to the language used by some Congress leaders in Prakasam district to criticise DWCRA members who have attended a public meeting addressed by him.

At an interaction with the media on Saturday, Mr. Naidu, without naming his brother-in-law and Congress candidate from Parchur, Daggubati Venkateswara Rao, to whom these remarks were attributed, demanded apology to DWCRA members.

Exuding confidence at his party's electoral prospects, he reiterated that selection of candidates was done based on the nominee's winning chances and his/her personal and social credentials. He said the basis for selection of candidates was beyond question. "I can substantiate and justify each and every candidate," he said.

Underscoring the need for a radical change in approach to politics, he said the time had come for people to think independently and choose a candidate on the basis of his/her personal life, values and commitment to community service. "If people still harbour grouse for not being given the ticket, let them ask me. Then I shall make public my reasons for preferring new faces in some constituencies," Mr. Naidu said.

Taking a dig at the former Chief Minister, N. Janardhana Reddy, he said there were many leaders in other parties who had constantly changed constituencies. "Please introspect about what you have done for the constituency from where people voted you to the Legislative Assembly and Parliament," he said.

The TDP chief said: "both of us have served as Chief Ministers. We should go back to the constituencies concerned and ask people about the development." In his Kuppam constituency, he had been experimenting with `reforms' and people's participation. "Look at the way people contributed even small change for my campaign," he said, adding the amount came to a whopping Rs. 7.02 lakhs. If this was replicated in other constituencies, politics in the State would see a radical transformation, he said.

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