BJP rules out blanket support to TDP in AP

The Left parties asserted that “there was no political basis to continue ties with TDP after it voted in favour of the BJP-led government at the centre.” Naidu, however, reserved his comments on the issue.

“Though we do not have any political understanding or alliance with TDP at this point of time we extend issue-based support to the ruling Telugu Desam, our differences on certain policies notwithstanding,” the Union Minister of State for Urban Development Bandaru Dattatreya told reporters heretoday.

Dattatreya who is also the state BJP president held a 40-minute `cordial talks’ with Naidu yesterday and discussed mainly the pending projects of state.

“As Naidu proclaimed that Congress is his main rival in the state and voted in our favour during confidence motion, we have to operate in changed political situation. We will be cooperating with TDP based on merits of the issue,” he said adding that BJP was not prepared for a blanket support to TDP.

“Though we fought the 1998 polls opposing both Congress and United Front as there was a fractured verdict, Naidu has responded well by supporting us during the vote of confidence and our MLAs supported him during Rajya Sabha polls,” he said.

Dattatreya, however, ruled out any political understanding between BJP and TDP “at this point of time.”

While announcing the CPI’s decision to snap its 15-year-old alliance with TDP, the state CPI secretary S Sudhakar Reddy had said, “there was no political basis in continuing friendship and alliancewith TDP since its pro-BJP stance had dealt a blow to secular forces.”

The CPI-M state secretary B V Raghavulu also echoed similar opinions for snapping ties with TDP and said the Left parties would jointly work to build mass movement against the “anti-people” policies of Chandrababu Naidu government.

However, the Left parties ruled out any truck or alliance with Congress in their fight against the “communal BJP and the policies of the ruling Telugu Desam.