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Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009
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YSR-Naidu spat irks Opposition

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: A face-off between Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu rocked the Assembly on Monday when the two leaders expressed their willingness to go in for a referendum to find out who among them enjoyed people’s credibility.

It was the Chief Minister who threw the challenge for a referendum and Mr. Naidu picked up the gauntlet. The TDP leader said the referendum must also cover corruption charges faced by both of them. “If you have the guts, do it.” Upon this, Dr. Reddy affirmed that it would encompass credibility and administrative efficiency of each of them and asked Mr. Naidu “any more suggestions?” Mr. Naidu suggested “murder politics too”.

Agreeing to it, the Chief Minister asserted that he would announce the dates for referendum subject to the condition whoever was defeated in the referendum, would have to quit politics permanently. Mr. Naidu yelled back, “I am doubly ready.” However, the mutual recrimination was frowned upon by other parties which expressed their ire at the two leaders for misusing the Assembly for their personal ends. Lok Satta member N. Jayaprakash Narayan said there was no provision in the Constitution for such an exercise and accused Dr. Reddy and Mr. Naidu for treating the State as their personal jagir.

K. Chiranjeevi (Praja Rajyam) said the constant tussle between the two was the real impediment to finding solutions to problems of people. They would do well to display the same spirit to solve these problems. T. Harish Rao (TRS) said it was Telangana issue which, indeed, merited such a referendum. G. Kishen Reddy (BJP) G. Malesh (CPI) and J. Ranga Reddy (CPI-M) objected to the House being misused for settling individual scores.

It all began during a debate when S. Shailaja Nath (Congress) lambasted Mr. Naidu for his anti-poor policies during his period, and said he would lose his deposit if he contested directly against Dr. Reddy in an Assembly constituency. This suggestion sparked off protests from Telugu Desam members with G. Muddukrishnama Naidu proposing a direct contest between the two.

Back-stabbing

Dr. Reddy said he was ready if Mr. Naidu was. Giving his nod, Mr. Naidu said it could be held during the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections in which 55 lakh voters would participate. Dr. Reddy retorted that the referendum, however, would not cover political back-stabbing. Mr. Naidu later told media persons that he was ready to contest against the Chief Minister if there were direct elections to the Hyderabad Mayor’s post.

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