Date:18/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/18/stories/2008071860250400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

TDP asks UPA to seek people’s verdict

Special Correspondent.

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader K. Yerran Naidu on Thursday demanded that the UPA government seek a people’s verdict before going ahead with the nuclear deal.

At a press conference here, he said the UPA government was reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support by Left parties.

But the confidence being displayed by UPA leaders was a testimony of the widespread allegations of horse-trading.

The outcome of the July 22 trust vote will not be acceptable to the TDP and the UPA should seek a fresh mandate from the people if it had any moral conviction.

Referring to the support sought by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi from other political parties, he said it was proof that the government was enticing MPs.

Mr. Naidu, former MP Rumandla Ramachandraiah and MLC P. Yadagiri wanted to know the capacity in which the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the Krishnapatnam Port.

They said Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was only pleasing her to save his position .

To a question, the TDP leader said Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao was not an ‘enemy’ and maintained that equations keep changing in politics.