Gulf News

Naidu’s alliance bid comes under attack

Political opponents attack Andhra chief minister who returned after meeting Rahul

- BY MOHAMMAD SIDDIQUE Correspond­ent

As Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrabab­u Naidu gets down to the business of forging an alliance, his political opponents back home launched a fierce counter attack against him recalling his frequent outbursts against the Congress party in the past.

Naidu, who returned after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders to discuss the idea of an anti-BJP alliance yesterday, held a video conference with the leaders of Telugu Desam Party in Amarvati. Naidu said he was joining hands with Congress “to counter the threat of dictatorsh­ip and oppression and to save democracy, all likeminded parties should come together”.

However the BJP, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Majlise-Ittehadul Muslimeen flayed his move.

K. Taraka Rama Rao, a senior leader of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti in his tweet recalled how Naidu had blamed Congress and its leader Sonia Gandhi for the bifurcatio­n of Andhra Pradesh and that he “will wipe out Congress”.

State BJP President K. Lakshman alleged that Naidu’s act of shaking hands with Congress was an insult to the people of Andhra Pradesh and he had mortgaged the self respect of Telugu people.

MIM President and MP Asaduddin Owaisi questioned Naidu’s role in building an alliance when he was with the BJP from Gujarat riots till recently.

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