Naidu non-committal on tie up with BJP or accepting Modi for PM post

A day after sharing dais with the BJP's Prime Minister hopeful Narendra Modi where he also praised him, the Telugu Desam Pary chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu remained non-committal on an alliance with the saffron party or accepting Modi for the Prime Minister post in 2014.

A day after sharing dais with the BJP's Prime Minister hopeful Narendra Modi where he also praised him, the Telugu Desam Pary chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu remained non-committal on an alliance with the saffron party or accepting Modi for the Prime Minister post in 2014.

HT Image

"I believe that any government other than of the Congress would be good for the nation. Let a debate take place (as which person, party or alliance is best suited for the task). If I come to a conclusion now, then would there be any discussion?" Naidu said in reaction to a HT question if he would accept Modi for PM.

Speaking at a student convention in New Delhi on Wednesday that was also addressed by Modi, Naidu said the focus of the nation shifted to Gujarat from 2004 onwards.

"Till 2004, people were looking to Andhra Pradesh but after that the spotlight shifted onto Gujarat," Naidu, who was Chief Minister of AP till 2004, said.

Naidu even mentioned that Mahatma Gandhi and Modi come from the same place. The meet where both leaders shook hands assumed significance as it comes in the wake of talk that BJP and TDP would renew their 1999 alliance and would contest the polls together.

In-fact, Naidu and Modi had a closed door meeting of over 30 minutes at the venue which strengthened the possibility of a tie-up.

However on Thursday, Naidu, after return from New Delhi, said that he only referred to what people are saying about Gujarat lately.

"And I also spoke about the NDA achievements and the United Front regime," Naidu, who was convener of United Front (1996-98) and extended outside support to the NDA (1999-2004) said.

Naidu has last week stated that he would devise all kinds of efforts to ensure Congress is out of power in 2014.