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Naidu rules out joining BJP govt

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party leader Nara Chandrababu Naidu has ruled out his party joining the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition at the Centre and clarified that the TDP had no 'hidden agenda or conditions' to become part of the government.

His party would extend 'issue-based support' to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, but would review its support if the government did anything to harm the interests of secularism and minorities, Naidu told the media after a meeting with the prime minister and senior BJP leaders.

He said the national agenda of the BJP and its allies had left out contentious issues like the Common Civil Code, Article 370 and the Ayodhya issue. The TDP would have no problems in supporting the government as long as the BJP sticks to the national agenda.

Naidu said he did not find much difference among the political parties, except the Left parties, on the economic issues.

Asked if the prime minister reiterated his offer to the TDP to join the government, Naidu declined to divulge anything other than saying the issue was discussed. And that the TDP had made its stand clear.

The chief minister also had a 40-minute meeting with President K R Narayanan. He described his visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan as 'a courtesy call'.

During his meeting with Home Minister L K Advani, he discussed the law and order situation in Andhra Pradesh and sought the Centre's help to modernise the police machinery in the state.

Naidu said it was too early to say if the TDP would align with the BJP in next year's state assembly election.

On the possibility of the TDP lending support to the BJP for the deputy speakership in Lok Sabha, he said, ''Let them field a candidate, then we will see.''

UNI

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