Date:22/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/22/stories/2006072210670400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

TDP leaders' show of unity

Special Correspondent

Term reports of discord `media creation'

Yerran Naidu, Devender Goud, Y. Ramakrishnudu and K. Srihari address press conference
Srihari says he was misquoted on his comments on TD chief

Dismiss YSR's prediction as preposterous

HYDERABAD: Senior Telugu Desam Party leaders who were taking swipes at one another of late, on Friday asserted that there were no differences among them.

In an obvious effort to dismiss media reports of such differences, the leaders K. Yerran Naidu, T. Devender Goud, Y. Ramakrishnudu and K. Srihari, addressed a joint press conference after the Polit Bureau meeting to present a united picture.

Describing reports of discord as "media creation," they said there was never any personality clash. "We had only expressed our views on changes in policies, programmes and systems needed for improving the prospects of the party by the next Assembly election."

Srihari clarifies

While Mr. Srihari clarified that he was misquoted on his alleged comments suggesting a change in the attitude of party president N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Goud had this to say, "It is wrong to say that the party has not changed and reinvented itself. For instance, the party after an analysis of the Assembly poll debacle in 2004 decided to sever ties with the BJP and bring the minorities closer to the party. It was fairly successful."

But the party needs to reach out to others like weaker sections, labourers and farmers, which it would do in the coming months, he said. He saw nothing wrong in airing views saying "Taking stock of strengths and weaknesses is a continuous process for a democratic political party." They termed as preposterous the Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy's prediction that Congress would bag 51 per cent of the votes in the next Assembly elections.

Party's gain cited

"Time and people will decide whether they will get that share or us," they said, pointing to the gain of 2.5 per cent vote by the party in the recent elections. "It clearly shows that an anti-Government feeling has already set in," Mr. Yerran Naidu said.

Mr. Naidu said the Polit Bureau discussed problems faced by the common man and farmers like price rise, chikungunya and adverse seasonal conditions. The party president would write to the Prime Minister bringing to his notice the State Government's failure in tacking the first two issues. The party decided to raise these two issues in Parliament and submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister on July 24.