Telugu Desam to join Modi govt

New Delhi: TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-Designate N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday declared that his party will join the Modi Government at the Centre. However, he refused to be drawn into the issue of the number of Ministerial berths or portfolios. “The idea is not to hanker after posts or positions but to ensure that Andhra Pradesh gets benefits,” he said.

Recalling that he was architect of at least four non-Congress governments, Naidu said he played a role in the formation of the United Front Government led by H D Deve Gowda in 1996 and later by I K Gujral in 1997, the Vajpayee Government in 1998 and now the Modi Government in 2014.

The TDP leader, who arrived in the capital to attend the meeting to elect Modi as NDA Parliamentary Party, described the BJP victory as a good augury. During the 10-year-long Congress-led UPA Government, the people of the country were completely disgusted.

Naidu stated that he would take oath as State Chief Minister in the Seemandhra region. He would make all-out efforts to shift even the administration to the Seemandhra region at the earliest possible opportunity. Focus now would be on rebuilding Andhra Pradesh, he said. On a number of political leaders joining the TDP, he said it was a good sign. Replying to queries on the number of promises he made during the campaign, Naidu explained that during his padayatra, he saw the sufferings of the people and wanted to alleviate them. His entire effort would be to honestly implement all the assurances made to the people during electioneering.

On YSRCP supremo Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Naidu said he would prefer the law to take its own course. He took care to emphasise that he was not in any way for witch-hunt against individuals. He stressed that his focus was not at all on individuals but on the system, which required to be reformed.

He favoured electoral reforms, State funding of elections and demonetization of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes. Besides, there have to be fiscal reforms, judicial reforms and administrative reforms along with electoral reforms.