The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : We want to present an alternative, says Venkaiah Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 17, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

We want to present an alternative, says Venkaiah Naidu

T. Ramakrishnan

Reiterates the BJP stand against alliance with DMK, AIADMK

TIGHT SECURITY: Even foreigners were not spared at the BJP national executive meeting in Chennai on Friday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party's strategy for Tamil Nadu is to move the organisation forward in its endeavour to provide a nationalist platform for the people of the State, party vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu said here on Friday.

Addressing the media after the inauguration of the three-day executive meeting here, Mr. Naidu repeated the party's position of not having any alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

"We want to present an alternative to the people of the State who are tired of the politics of vengeance."

Asked whether the BJP would ally with the Desiya Murporkku Dravida Kazhagam floated by actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth, he said,

"The party was born only yesterday. Let it first start walking. Then, we can start talking."

Earlier, C.P. Radhakrishnan, State unit president,welcoming the delegates, said there was enthusiasm among the youth in the State to join the "national force"

Swamy meets Joshi

About an hour before commencement of the executive meeting, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy called on the former BJP president, Murli Manohar Joshi, at Hotel Savera, the venue of the meeting. "I met him for an hour and we had tea together. There was no political significance to the meeting," Dr. Swamy said.

The area in and around the venue of the executive meet was decorated with flags, festoons and posters that displayed images of the top BJP leaders.

The flyover in front of the hotel had the party flags on either side. Security arrangements were tight at the venue, as many party leaders are under Z category. Tight security would be provided on the Island Grounds, where the party would hold a public meeting on Saturday evening.

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