Leader of the Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday reacted angrily to the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s assertion that TDP would be wound up saying, "even 1000 YSRs will not be able to accomplish that task".
Addressing a press conference in the Assembly lobbies, Mr. Naidu said the Chief Minister’s comments and deeds smacked of his arrogance and dictatorial tendencies and went on to recall how even the most powerful former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi had to reinstate Telugu Desam Government after dismissing it in 1984.
Subsequently, Congress Governments at Centre tried hard to destroy TDP by luring its MPs from former Prime Minister, P. V. Narsimha Rao down to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but the party came out stronger. "As long as the party enjoyed people’s support, no force on earth could hope to wind it up. It is wishful thinking".
Mr. Naidu said such thinking only reflects how the Chief Minister has been overtaken by sense of insecurity having failed to realise his dream of getting 233 seats in Assembly and 51 per cent vote. Questioning Dr. Reddy’s claims on credibility he alleged that "corruption money" was being used to "manipulate and lure" leaders of other parties. "By his own admission, he wants to devote fulltime in playing politics and engineering defections till the next elections in 2014 and do nothing to solve people’s problems".
Referring to Dr. Reddy’s oft repeated charge about his amassing wealth illegally, Mr. Naidu said he was prepared to face any inquiry and challenged him to do the same. "Let him not forget his past and how he started his career in a splinter group of Congress and remained a life- long dissident. In fact the State Cabinet headed by former Chief Minister, K. Vijayabhaskara Reddy adopted a resolution to remove him from the Congress and it was sent to the Congress high command by the present Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah".
He dismissed reports on his son Lokesh entering politics, saying he was right now busy managing the family business and had not shown any inclination of coming to public life. Asked if film star and NTR’s son, Balakrishna would be inducted into the Polit Bureau, he said he (Balakrishna) was not keen. The Polit Bureau and the State Committee would be constituted much before Dasara festival.
He said the party would seek action against two MLAs, K. Prasanna Kumar Reddy and Bala Nagi Reddy, under the anti-defection law.
