Charges on Naidu to stay: BJP

HYDERABAD, March 22: The State executive of BJP would be held at Rajahmundry from April 2 to discuss among other things the party stand towa...

HYDERABAD, March 22: The State executive of BJP would be held at Rajahmundry from April 2 to discuss among other things the party stand towards ruling Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh in wake of the changed political scenario.

The three-day meeting would discuss and decide on the stand State BJP should adopt in the coming days in dealing with the Telugu Desam, which was vocal in saying that Congress is its main rival in AP, Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Bandaru Dattatreya told newsmen here.

Facing a volley of questions on whether BJP would pursue the corruption charges it raised against Chandrababu Naidu government, Dattatreya, who is also the State BJP chief, evaded a direct reply saying his party would first work for the stability of Vajpayee government at Centre.

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“However, the charges against Naidu remain the same and the line our party has to adopt in the State would be decided in the executive,” he said.

Dattatreya maintained that AP unit of the BJP “stood by its demand” for aCentral Bureau of Investigation probe into the corruption charges against Naidu and his TDP government.

Dattatreya asserted that his party’s 100-point chargesheet against the TDP government released on the eve of the Lok Sabha poll was very much there.

“We presented it in the people’s court and had not withdrawn,” he added.

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Refusing to comment on the proposed TDP’s neutral stand during the crucial vote of confidence, Dattatreya said, “It is for Naidu to take a final decision.”

“Cobbling up all anti-Congress forces together has been our main effort and with Naidu saying that Congress is his rival, the political equation has changed significantly in the State,” he added.

Describing the TDP’s neutral stand as “advantageous to BJP” Dattatreya said, earlier the United Front was formed to keep BJP out of power. “Now the scene has changed and some forces are out to stall Congress from coming to power.”