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Naidu meets Vajpayee

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, presenting a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, at his residence in New Delhi on Friday. — Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

NEW DELHI MAY 10. After the recent crossing of swords with the BJP on the issue of Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi's removal, the TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, today met the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, and discussed the Gujarat issue, including his demand for a change of guard in the State.

Mr. Naidu also ruled out his party joining the NDA Government at the Centre but he would continue support to it based on issues.

Coming to Delhi after a gap of four months, the TDP supremo had an hour-long one-to-one meeting with Mr. Vajpayee, besides 90 minutes of discussions along with some of his Cabinet colleagues and the TDP Parliamentary Party leader, K. Yerran Naidu.

Stating that the TDP had put up four demands on Gujarat, he said ``all these issues were discussed''.

The demands included removal of Mr. Modi, no early election and toning up of rehabilitation measures.

Asked about TDP's relations with the Centre after the Gujarat issue, Mr. Naidu said from the beginning his party was supporting the Government on an issue-to-issue basis. ``We have a secular policy," he said.

Asked whether it would be cordial in the aftermath of the Gujarat issue, he said, ``on issue-to-issue, we will work''.

To a question whether the TDP would join the Centre, Mr. Naidu said his party had declined the Speaker's post. "Where is the question of joining the Government," he said.

Some of the developmental issues concerning the State such as the issue of international airport, drought situation and weavers' problems were discussed, he said. — PTI

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