Date:05/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/05/stories/2008050554070400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Naidu invited to open debate

Congress MP disputes views expressed by Telugu Desam chief in his biography

-Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

GETTING READY: Congress MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar holds a copy of the TDP chief’s biography at a discussion organised by NSUI in Hyderabad on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: Congress MP V. Arun Kumar has invited Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu for an open debate on the latter’s views expressed in his biography ‘Plain Speaking’.

Mr. Naidu owed an explanation to the people on whether he still supports the observations he made in his book on key issues of public importance or admit that the policies adopted by his government were wrong.

As the TDP president claimed that seeds for development witnessed at present were sown during his tenure, the debate could cover the progress made during the TDP and the Congress governments.

Opposite stand

Participating in a discussion on Mr. Naidu’s book organised by the National Students’ Union of India here on Sunday, he wondered how the TDP president had taken diametrically opposite stand now with an eye on the next elections. “Mr. Naidu should come personally or depute somebody for the open debate if he has any respect for the democratic processes,” he said.

Senior CPI leader T. Lakshminarayana said Mr. Naidu’s claims that the development witnessed at present was result of his efforts reflected his “arrogance” and his refusal to introspect whether his policies were right or not.

Role minimised

Official Language Commission chairman A.B.K. Prasad recalled as to how the previous government tried to minimise the role of government in the name of becoming a “facilitator” rather than provider. Senior journalist Kommineni Srinivas Rao said there was nothing new in politicians changing their stand in line with the emerging situation. Another senior journalist K. Srinivas Reddy said the previous government lacked the keenness in implementing election promises.

Political analyst C.L. Narasimha Rao accused the previous government of institutionalising corruption. NSUI State president Ch. Vamshichand Reddy presided.