All eyes on Naidu
Ch Sushil Rao in Hyderabad
All eyes are now on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and United Front convener Nara Chandrababu Naidu.
With the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham submitting its letter of support to a Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, the saffron party has stepped up its efforts to woo Naidu's Telugu Desam Party which has 12 MPs.
Realising the TDP's importance in the numbers game, President K R Narayanan held a telephonic conversation with Naidu on Friday, apparently to know his views on the formation of a stable government at the Centre.
The conversation assumes significance in view of Naidu's stand to maintain neutrality during the trust vote.
Despite the state BJP leaders's efforts, Naidu did not alter his decision even today as the saffron party inched closer to power.
"We are still trying to make him see reason,'' a senior BJP leader told Rediff On The NeT. ''We understand it may not be an easy decision for him to take as, till the other day, he was accusing the BJP of being a communal party."
Several UF leaders called up Naidu yesterday, but was unwilling to change his mind on the 'equidistance' stand. He reportedly refused to back a Congress government.
There was hardly any activity in the TDP camp today and Naidu was 'busy with official work'.
"He has decided to help the BJP by abstaining from voting, and will not change his mind easily," said a senior TDP leader.
Additional reportage: UNI
Elections '98
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