Naidu and NDA kiss and make up, what helps is another 10 lakh tonnes of rice

The TDP chief is learnt to explained to Vajpayee in detail the reasons for the tough stand he took on Gujarat. Such an aggressive stand, he told him, should not be misconstrued as any inclination on the TDP’s part to destabilise the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. Given Naidu’s assurance, a confident Vajpayee has convened a meeting of the NDA co-ordination committee tomorrow.

But Naidu, whose recent actions seemed to suggest that the TDP was distancing itself from the BJP, appeared to give conflicting signals when he called on newly-anointed Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi.

Joshi’s choice for the post has not gone down well with Opposition parties as he belonged to the ‘‘saffron’’ Shiv Sena. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Vajpayee, Naidu refused to categorically answer queries about the nature of ties between the TDP and BJP. He was also equally cagey about speaking on Gujarat. ‘‘I have already spoken at length and there is nothing new to add,’’ he said.

Naidu however said TDP was not satisfied with Vajpayee’s response to its four demands on Gujarat that included Modi’s ouster. About TDP’s endorsement of Joshi as Speaker, Naidu pointed out that his party had refused to take the post and since no party had indicated any objection to his candidature, TDP had agreed to back him.

He went round offices of various Union ministers with a huge wishlist, ranging from assistance to weavers in State to development of Hyderabad airport to revival of fertiliser plant at Ramagundam. He is scheduled to call on more ministers, including Home Minister Advani, on Saturday.