Naidu set to play key role in national polity as he clarifies support to NDA
Besides key ministerial positions at the Centre, Naidu may also insist on the post of Speaker to one among 16 MPs from the TDP
image for illustrative purpose
Vijayawada: Rubbishing feelers from Congress-led INDIA block to join a non-BJP alternative, TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu, who is set to play a significant role at the national level following his party's resounding success in just-concluded elections in alliance with the BJP and the Jana Sena Party, on Wednesday said he is part and parcel of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
With the BJP falling short of a magic figure to get an absolute majority and its growing dependence on TDP and JD (U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister NItish Kumar, Naidu is expected to play a dominant role in the NDA affairs. Earlier, reports said the Opposition alliance leader and Maharashtra strongman Sharad Pawar spoke to both Naidu and Nitish Kumar and invited them to join the INDIA alliance with certain offers.
Out of 25 Lok Sabha seats, TDP won 16, BJP 3, JSP two leaving four to YSRCP. While YSRCP won only 11 Assembly seats, the remaining out of 175 were captured by the TDP and its allies.
Sources said besides key ministerial positions at the Centre, Naidu may also insist on the post of Speaker to one among 16 MPs from the TDP. Late GMC Balayogi became the Speaker of Lok Sabha during 1998-2002 when Naidu was the convener of the United Front. Naidu will be under pressure to insist on Special Category Status (SCS) or some other package, early grant of funds to complete Polavaram project, withdrawal of privatisation of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and operationalisation of new railway zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam.
At his first interaction with the media at Undavalli before leaving for Delhi to take part in the NDA meeting in New Delhi along with Pawan Kalyan, Naidu described the end of tyranny in Andhra Pradesh through a 'historic mandate' as unprecedented. He said never in the past people from all sections raised their voice through ballot in such a comprehensive way to dislodge the YSRCP government, which tried to deprive freedom of speech to the denizens and indulged in looting the public exchequer.
During his visit to Delhi, he will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and others to attend the new government swearing-in at Amaravati on June 9.
"We need time to assess the financial position and the loans borrowed during the past five years. At the same time, I am determined to serve the people as sevaks (servants) along with the BJP and the JSP. We will never feel that we are the rulers," he declared.
Naidu said democracy was at stake as he himself was persecuted. "Pawan Kalyan was asked to leave Visakhapatnam by the police when he went there to attend some programmes," he said, adding people were so vexed that they preferred to spend their hard earned money to come from other States and countries to cast their franchise to remove the YSRCP.
He gave credit for the spectacular win of the alliance to each and every member of TDP, JSP and BJP saying during the past five years, the party members were harassed for not raising 'Jai Jagan slogans' by implicating them in false and fabricated cases.
"Even I never felt bad when I became a victim of landmine blast in October, 2003 at Alipiri tollgate near Tirupati. They made humiliating comments against my wife and family in the Assembly which hurt me a lot," he pointed out.
