NTR’s son drops plans to attend Modi’s swearing-in
26 Dec 2012 6:36 AM IST
A sour note was struck on the eve of the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as chief minister of Gujarat for a third consecutive term as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder NT Rama Rao’s son N Balakrishna cancelled his visit to Ahmedabad ‘on the advise’ of party president N Chandrababu Naidu.
It is learnt that Modi had personally invited Balakrishna for the swearing-in ceremony and the latter had reportedly accepted Modi’s invitation and was ready to leave for Ahmedabad on Tuesday afternoon. However, Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently on a padyatra in Karimnagar district, contacted Balakrishna and advised him to drop his plans.
The decision of Balakrishna not to attend the swearing-in ceremony comes as a bolt to Modi, who is searching for allies in view of his plan to lead the party in the next general elections. TDP was a prominent NDA ally when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was prime minister between 1998-2004. The chances of any representative from another former ally Biju Janata Dal looked remote.
BJP’s current ally Janata Dal (united) has expressed reservations over Modi’s leadership. Though TDP has been an ally of the BJP when NDA was in power from 1998-2004, the party later severed its ties with the BJP and even apologised to minorities for having an alliance with the saffron outfit. TDP president Chandrababu Naidu had also stated that the party had made a mistake by continuing with the alliance even after the Gujarat riots of 2002.
It is learnt that Modi had personally invited Balakrishna for the swearing-in ceremony and the latter had reportedly accepted Modi’s invitation and was ready to leave for Ahmedabad on Tuesday afternoon. However, Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently on a padyatra in Karimnagar district, contacted Balakrishna and advised him to drop his plans.
The decision of Balakrishna not to attend the swearing-in ceremony comes as a bolt to Modi, who is searching for allies in view of his plan to lead the party in the next general elections. TDP was a prominent NDA ally when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was prime minister between 1998-2004. The chances of any representative from another former ally Biju Janata Dal looked remote.
BJP’s current ally Janata Dal (united) has expressed reservations over Modi’s leadership. Though TDP has been an ally of the BJP when NDA was in power from 1998-2004, the party later severed its ties with the BJP and even apologised to minorities for having an alliance with the saffron outfit. TDP president Chandrababu Naidu had also stated that the party had made a mistake by continuing with the alliance even after the Gujarat riots of 2002.
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