Andhra Pradesh

No-trust motion: Naidu draws flak

HYDERABAD: Finance Minister K. Rosaiah has said the no confidence motion moved by the Telugu Desam Party in the just concluded budget session of the Assembly was a ploy by its president N. Chandrababu Naidu to deflect attention from the growing differences within the party.

Accusing Mr. Naidu of making a mockery of the motion, Mr. Rosaiah said the ‘meaningless’ exercise had led to wastage of crores of rupees of public money. “The money wasted for discussion on no confidence motion could have, instead, been used for mitigating drinking water scarcity in different parts of the State,” he lamented.

He wondered whether a political party could use the Assembly to deflect the internal crisis brewing in the party and try to malign the government.

Taking a dig at Mr. Naidu for failing to raise any new issue during the debate, he said there was no purpose behind the motion. “Despite consuming over four hours time during the debate, the TDP president failed to nail the Government on any issue,” he said.

At a separate press conference, Government Chief Whip N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and others said Mr. Naidu appeared to have realised about the bleak prospects of his party and was trying to tarnish the image of the government and Ministers. Stating that Mr. Naidu was frequently losing his cool so much that he asked the members to “vote against” the no confidence motion without even seeking division of votes.

Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy advised Mr. Naidu to pay attention to his health by taking rest at Mount Abu.

“We want him to continue as the TDP leader for a long time because his party will not come to power as long as he heads it,” he said in a sarcastic vein.

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