M A I N   N E W S

TDP to seek bar on foreign-born becoming PM

Hyderabad, July 20
In a move aimed at preventing Congress President Sonia Gandhi from becoming the Prime Minister in the future, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will move a resolution in Parliament, seeking a bar on persons not born in India from occupying constitutional positions in the country.

The TDP parliamentary party, which met here today, decided to move the resolution in the monsoon session of Parliament.

The TDP, which extends outside support to the ruling National Democratic Alliance, finalised its strategy on several important issues likely to come up during the session.

Party President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu presided over the meeting.

Party spokesman Umareddy Venkateshwarulu told mediapersons after the meeting that the TDP was against allowing foreign-born persons holding the posts of President, Vice-President or Prime Minister.

The TDP, which has 28 members in the Lok Sabha and 13 in the Rajya Sabha, said it would not support any move by the BJP for a legislation on the Ayodhya dispute. The party asked the BJP not to take any action that deviated from the common minimum programme of the coalition and wait for a Supreme Court verdict on the issue. — IANS