Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Telugu Desam Party leader and convenor of the United Front Nara Chandrababu Naidu is unperturbed by the threat to the UF government.. He is also confident that the present crisis will blow over once Congress president Sitaram Kesri reviews his decision. It was a misadventure on Kesri's part, he says, in an exclusive interview to M S Shanker. Excerpts:
As convenor of the United Front, how you propose to resolve the crisis at the Centre?
How dare the Congress hold the Deve Gowda government to ransom?
I consider it as a misadventure on the part of Sitaram Kesri. He thought he could surprise the UF constituents and he expected them to run helter-skelter. But his decision is going to boomerang on him.
Do you think that the Congress is justified in calling Deve Gowda communal?
How can Kesri call Deve Gowda communal? What has he done to brand him... The old man seems to be in
a hurry to occupy the prime minister's chair. That's why he's making these "silly" and "childish" accusations: to
justify his decision to announce his party withdrawing support to the UF government.
Are the UF constituents in a mood to sacrifice Deve Gowda to save the government?
The question of sacrifice doesn't arise. What mistake has he (Deve Gowda) done for him to be crucified?
What about reports in a section of the press that Deve Gowda is holding parleys with the BJP?
That's not true.
Are the UF constituents prepared to face the electorate?
Of course, yes. We are confident of securing an absolute majority
if a mid-term election is held, as we proposes to contest under the UF banner.
But don't you think that the mid-term poll may prove disastrous for the TDP since it has gone back on some of the electoral promises made in the last assembly elections?
I know what you are driving at. My detractors in the Opposition feel my government's decision to review electoral promises like subsidised rice or power tariff to the agricultural sector, and 'total prohibition', may work against my partymen's prospects.
They tried to use these tricks in the by-elections, but the people voted back my party candidates. We could win 8 out of 11 by-elections, including the Nandyal Lok Sabha seat, from the Congress. Congressmen will never learn lessons from the past. That party is finished. It is no more a national party.
How united is the United Front?
We are as strong as ever!
