Cornered, BJP chief calls PM

BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu, currently in a spot over allegations of financial irregularities during his tenure as Rural Development min...

BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu, currently in a spot over allegations of financial irregularities during his tenure as Rural Development minister, spoke to Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee over the telephone and explained his position.

Sources said Naidu, who is away on a tour of the US and Britain, told Vajpayee there was no truth in the allegations. Describing his working as completely transparent, he welcomed any probe.

This is the latest of controversies chasing Naidu who completed one year as party president today. BJP general secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a close confidante of Naidu, came out openly in his defence today. Naqvi said Naidu’s tenure ‘‘is considered the golden era of the Rural Development Ministry.’’ He said: ‘‘People under mental stress are behind the tirade against Naidu.’’ Asked if there was any link between the allegations against Naidu and his successor Shanta Kumar, Naqvi said: ‘‘Kumar has not said anything on the record. If anyone is found involved in levelling allegations, the party would take serious note of it.’’

Naqvi ruled out any inquiry into the charges. ‘‘Media reports allegations everyday. We cannot have inquiries daily,’’ he said. Controversies are not new to Naidu. The recent BJP Chintan Baithak saw a doctoring of the PM’s speech in the press release. Earlier, he landed in a soup by propounding the thesis of a combined leadership of Vikas Purush and Lauh Purush leading the BJP in the next Lok Sabha polls.