Date:11/08/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/08/11/stories/2002081104620100.htm

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Will look into the letter issue: A.P. CM

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad Aug. 10. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has offered to examine the issue of the letter purportedly written by his Paraliamentary Party leader, K. Yerran Naidu, to the Petroleum Minister, Ram Naik, two years ago, leading to the constitution of a fifth board for the State for granting petrol/gas dealerships.

The subject was raised at a press conference addressed by the Chief Minister here tonight shortly before his departure for a three-day tour of Malaysia and Singapore.

Mr. Naidu said the TDP had long ago asked the partymen not to interfere with Government affairs in line with its philosophy of establishing transparency and accountability in administration.

But he hastened to add that members of any party would naturally bring pressure on the Government on one thing or the other and, in that spirit, Yerran Naidu might have written the letter.

He, however, saw no link between the constitution of an additional board and the issuing of licences. What was important was whether Yerran Naidu had recommended any names for licences.

Everything depended on the intention with which such letters might had been written.