M A I N   N E W S

TDP to wait for PM’s reply
Stand on censure motion

Hyderabad, April 28
Maintaining the suspense over the stand his party would take on the voting on the motion on Gujarat in Parliament, the TDP, a key outside supporter of the NDA Government, was today understood to have decided to wait for Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s reply in the Lok Sabha before firming up its posture.

At a meeting of the Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party (TDPP) here, party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was understood to have said the TDP could wait for Mr Vajpayee’s statement in the House before deciding on which way to vote on the Opposition-sponsored censure motion under rule 184.

TDP sources quoted Mr Naidu as saying that he was under “no pressure to take a decision in a hurry” and announcement about the party’s stand would be made at an “appropriate time.”

The TDPP meeting discussed about all three options before the party — voting in favour of the censure motion, voting against it and abstaining—, party sources said.

The TDP has 28 members in the Lok Sabha and 13 in the Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and MP Sahib Singh Verma called on Mr Naidu at his residence amidst intense activity in the TDP camp.

Though the brief 15-minute-long meeting was officially described as a courtesy call, it is learnt that the two leaders discussed the political situation in the backdrop of Gujarat developments.

Haryana Chief Minister and INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, who pledged full support to the NDA government on the Gujarat issue, is scheduled to meet Mr Naidu tomorrow.