The Economic Times report (24th September 2013) Naidu Set to Walk in as Modi’s First Ally on Road to NDA-2 Naidu to share dais with Modi in Delhi on October 2; BJP keen to appoint TDP chief the convenor of NDA PR RAMESH NEW DELHI BJP is likely to enter into a pre-election alliance with Telugu Desam Party, negating claims of a section of its leaders and rivals that the main Opposition would find it difficult to attract allies after naming Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. Negotiations have almost concluded with the N Chandrababu Naiduled party and an electoral pact will be announced soon, a BJP leader told ET. Naidu will share the dais with Modi at a function in Delhi on October 2, for the first time since TDP parted ways with BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2005, added the party leader, who did not wish to be named. BJP is keen to appoint Naidu as the convenor of NDA, the leader said, adding that Naidu had handled a similar responsibility when his party was a member of the United Front coalition. ‘Congress is Dividing Country on Lines of Religion, Region’ Without divulging details of his talks with BJP, Naidu told ET that a regime change was required at the Centre to bring clarity in policies, confidence in the minds of investors and stability in the India story. “Congress is dividing the country on the lines of religion, caste and regions. We need a stable government to put the country and its economy back on the rails,” Naidu said in an interview. Naidu was among those who attended a meeting at Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral’s home in Delhi on Saturday afternoon to discuss ways to strengthen the anti-Congress political platform ahead of the 2014 general elections. BJP leader Arun Jaitley and INLD leader Abhay Chautala were also present at the meeting. In his interactions with CPI (M)’s Prakash Karat and JD (U)’s Sharad Yadav, too, Naidu drove home his party’s point that efforts should be made to consolidate the anti-Congress votes under one banner, rejecting the idea of the Third Front, a person privy to the details said. BJP has also been holding talks with INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala for a tie-up in Haryana, where the party already has an understanding with Kuldeep Bishnoi’s Haryana Janhit Congress. “We could allot a seat to Bishnoi from our quota of seats. It will not create any hurdle,” said a BJP leader involved in the talks. Abhay Chautala has expressed his party’s keenness to work with BJP, the leader added. Modi, who has been spearheading the party’s efforts at coalition-building, has also held talks with other potential allies, including Babulal Marandi in Jharkhand, BS Yeddyurappa in Karnataka and AGP’s Prafulla Mahanta. The alliance with Marandi can be worked out if BJP agrees to contest the next election under his leadership, a person familiar with the matter said. But this will involve shifting former chief minister Arjun Munda, considered a favourite of BJP president Rajnath Singh, out of Jharkhand. The Gujarat CM is expected to cement his position in the party if TDP comes on board. His in-house rivals as much as those in other parties had labelled him as politically untouchable after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD (U) severed its 17-year-old ties with BJP in opposition to Modi’s elevation. Courtesy : The Economic Times
Posted on: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 04:25:32 +0000
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