Naidu meets , Kejriwal; Oppn gets moving
In a packed visit to Delhi, Andhra Pradesh chief minister and president of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) N Chandrababu Naidu Saturday met Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, and Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav amid efforts to build a grand alliance to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
Later in the evening, Naidu willl also meet former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, and called on CPI leaders D Raja and S Sudhakar Reddy at the Andhra Bhawan here.
The nearly hour-long meeting with Mayawati comes close on the heels of her accusing the Congress of trying to “finish her party” and not making efforts to take on the BJP.
Addressing a press conference later, Naidu attacked the Modi government saying people were feeling betrayed. “CBI inquiry is going on, it’s under trial. PM (Narendra Modi) had said that all culprits in political corruption cases will be punished within one year time. On the contrary, some people are escaping. You are supporting tainted parties and victimising those who oppose you.”
The TDP was part of the BJPled National Democratic Alliance until March this year, when it pulled out of the coalition at the Centre over the government’s refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
“What is right, (on that basis) we have to move forward. There are political compulsions, there are ideological compulsions... and overall interest of the nation — how to join together, how to work together. I am meeting everybody. We will move forward,” the TDP leader told the media.
Naidu referred to the coalition governments including the National Front and the United Front governments and said governments have not been formed without a national party.
“You have to give confidence. We have to move forward,” he said.
NAIDU WILLL ALSO MEET FORMER UNION MINISTER YASHWANT SINHA, AND CALLED ON CPI LEADERS D RAJA AND S SUDHAKAR REDDY AT ANDHRA BHAWAN