The Telugu Desam Party has for the first time admitted that relations with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Gujarat violence had a 'negative effect' on its minority vote bank in last year's general election.
TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu recently asked his party to keep away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's boycott of Parliament.
Elaborating on how the relationship with the BJP had adversely affected the TDP in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections when he lost power, Naidu said, "The Gujarat problem did have a negative impact on the minorities support for the TDP despite his government's numerous steps for their welfare. We were not partners in the NDA even when we supported the government."
In an interview with PTI, he indicated he was not comfortable with emerging strident voices of Hindutva in the BJP and appeared warming up to a relationship with Left parties and constituents of the erstwhile United Front. "Whenever somebody fails and there is a political vacuum, it will emerge," he said.
Naidu gave an impression that he would like to wait and watch at least till the next round of assembly elections, especially in West Bengal and Kerala where United Progressive Alliance constituents, the Congress party and Left parties are main rivals.
"We have no relations with the BJP. Whenever there were common issues, we supported it. Sometimes, we even differed." Naidu refused to admit that last week's decision to break ranks with the NDA on its boycott of Parliament signalled the beginning of the end of its relations with the BJP.
Naidu, said, "We totally oppose Hindutva. We are committed to secularism and harmony among all communities. We are for the resolution of the Ayodhya dispute through a judicial process. The court verdict should be respected by all."
He said the party was anguished at the time of post-Godhra riots and had asked for Chief Minister Narendra Modi's resignation, which the BJP had rejected. In protest, the party had refused to accept the Lok Sabha Speaker's post after the death of TDP incumbent G M C Balayogi.
On why his party, on whose backing the NDA government had been surviving, did not withdraw its support, Naidu said "I did it differently."
On why the party decided to end the Parliament boycott, he said as a matter of Opposition floor coordination his party supported the NDA on the issue of sacking of the tainted ministers from the government. But beyond a stage "we need to discuss issues in Parliament."