Naidu Denies Meeting PC About T

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday, clarified that he had never met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram over the Telangana state issue.

Talking to media persons at NTR Trust Bhavan, TDP leader L Ramana stated that Naidu, who returned from the by-election campaign, stated that he had never met Chidambaram to discuss the bifurcation of the state. In fact, he said that Naidu is of the opinion that Chidambaram had made these comments to divert people's attention.

Stating that the TDP has already made its stand on the Telangana issue clear, Ramana stated that Naidu had written a letter to Pranab Mukherjee, chairman of the cabinet sub-committee on Telangana, long ago.

It may be mentioned here that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had reportedly stated in the Lok Sabha's Budget session that TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu had met him to discuss the Telangana issue.

Meanwhile, both the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee have demanded an explanation from Naidu about the alleged meeting.

TRS leader and former MP B Vinod said that Chidambaram's statement in the Lok Sabha proves that Naidu is against the formation of a Telangana state. He asked Telugu Desam Telangana Forum members to question Naidu on what forced him to meet Chidambaram in New Delhi.

When reporters told Vinod that Naidu has denied meeting with Chidambaram, Vinod said Naidu ought to move a privilege motion against Chidambaram for giving Parliament wrong information and diverting people's attention. He also demanded that TD T-Forum members mount pressure on Naidu to agree to a separate Telangana.

TPJAC chairman M Kodandaram demanded that Chidambaram explain what transpired between him and Naidu, and what was it that obstructed the formation of a separate Telangana state.

Talking to media persons at the JAC office, Kodandaram said that Chidambaram's statement in the Lok Sabha that Naidu had met him proves that the latter is the prime "accused" in the obstruction to a Telangana state.

"Naidu has been proved the prime accused in the people's court, for obstructing the formation of a Telangana state," he stated.

Kodandaram, too, demanded that the Telugu Desam Telangana Forum members mount pressure on Naidu over the statehood issue.

Demanding that Congress MPs from the region mount pressure on the High Command towards taking a favourable decision on Telangana, he said that the leaders ought to set a clear deadline for the Congress to announce its stand on the matter.

Meanwhile, Kodandaram reiterated that the JAC has no differences with its allies over supporting the candidate for the by-election of the Parakala Assembly constituency. (INN)