CBN pitched for a possible pre-poll alliance
andhrapradesh | Written by : Suryaa Desk
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday pitched for a possible pre-poll alliance at the national level among political parties that are not competing at the State level.
Speaking to reporters a day after his 12-hour hunger strike, he said the TDP, the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the JD(S), the NCP, the RJD and others could come together before the election just to present an alternative to voters against the BJP.“We will have to work it out. This is only an idea right now. But ultimately there has to be a holistic approach, a very idealistic approach. Everything is possible in politics. We have to wait and watch,” he told.
He clarified that the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party could not possibly be part of such a pre-poll alliance because of the triangular fight in Uttar Pradesh.Other than the Left parties, the BSP was the only Opposition party which did not visit Mr. Naidu’s day-long fast. “I have always had a good relationship with Mayawatiji. We will continue working with them,” Mr. Naidu said.
‘BJP diverting attention’
Reacting to the personal attack made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Guntur rally on Sunday, Mr. Naidu said the BJP had started abusing the TDP to hide its own failures. “I am fighting for a cause, for the last five years. How can they say that I am doing this all of sudden? If you had fulfilled your promises, there is no case for me to fight. They want to divert attention from the issue by abusing me. You see all political parties are supporting me because it is about justice,” he said.
‘Jagan’s dirty politics’
Mr. Naidu’s rivals have claimed that Mr. Naidu is using tax payers’ money to divert attention from the TDP’s slipping fortunes and the rising popularity of YSR Congress chief Jagan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh.“That is not correct. He (Mr. Jagan Reddy) is in collusion with the BJP, and he is in deep trouble as there are so many cases pending against him. To protect himself, he is playing dirty politics,” he said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Naidu, along with his legislators, MPs and party leaders marched from Andhra Bhawan to Jantar Mantar. Later, he met President Ram Nath Kovind and submitted a 17-page memorandum detailing the promises yet to be fulfilled by the Centre.