HYDERABAD: Separate Telangana debate sparked off by a section of the party leaders' conclave at Yadagirigutta continued to cause ripples in Telugu Desam Party on Tuesday.

Party leaders hailing from Telangana and other regions indulged in verbal gymnastics on Tuesday to clarify their stands, give their interpretation of the episode and of the party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu's significant remarks at a media conference on Monday.

The common thread however was that media was probing and reading too much into an event that had the sanction of the party's top leadership. This was stated in as many words by party general secretary K. Srihari, who was among the eight leaders who had gone to the hill shrine.

`No secret'

"There was no secret about the visit. It was for darshan. We have taken Mr. Naidu's permission but media is giving it a political colour. We will continue to work and go to next elections under his leadership. We are firming up an action plan to see that we return to power in 2009," he said at a press conference here.

The visit was confined to leaders who had participated in the last year's "padayatra", hence others were not invited, he added.

But mediapersons saw a slight change in party's stand from Monday to Tuesday. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday gave the impression that the party was open to any debate including Telangana in the party fora and that if need be it would take a re-look at the strategy.

On Tuesday, the TD parliamentary party leader, K. Yerran Naidu, took pains to explain that there was no change in the party's stand. It continued to favour an integrated State but there was nothing wrong in discussing an issue dominating the political scenario.

No need for review

Other party leaders feel there was no need for the party to review its stand as it got a sizable share of votes in the Karimnagar by-election. They argue that there was distinct possibility of the situation swinging in party's favour in the next two years.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail