Naidu Should Be PM: Gali

Senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu on Wednesday said that the time has come for his party President N Chandrababu Naidu to make a bid at becoming the country's Prime Minister.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a public meeting organized as part of the campaign for the by-elections, Muddukrishnama said that the TDP President has all the capabilities that are required to lead the nation.

"Chandrababu Naidu should focus on national politics and become the Prime Minister to end corruption in the country," he stated.

Stating that there was a "dire need" of a strong leader who could contain the rampant corruption by the Congress at the Centre, Muddukrishnama stated that Naidu was the right to person to cleanse the country of corruption.

The senior TDP leader further advised Naidu to hand over the reins of the party to some other leader, and to work on the national stage.

"This would bring laurels to the state, particularly to the Telugu people," Muddukrishnama stated.

Recalling that Chandrababu Naidu had a chance to become the Prime Minister in 1996, when he had played a key role in bringing diverse parties to form the United Front government, Muddukrishnama stated that the TDP chief had then declined to head the coalition government, citing that he was too young to take up responsibilities and wanted to do a lot more for the state.

Gali's suggestion comes at a time when reports of a serious rift between the Nara and Nandamuri families over the TDP chief's successor are rife.

It is believed that the rift has erupted after Chandrababu Naidu had started grooming his son Nara Lokesh to head the TDP, which was opposed by party founder-president N T Rama Rao's son Harikrishna. (INN)