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TDP wants NDA, Gujarat govt to resolve RSS controversy

The Telugu Desam Party, one of the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance government, is yet to decide what it will do if the central government votes on a censure motion on the issue of government officials joining the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

However, TDP circles say party president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu may persuade Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to get the Gujarat regime to withdraw the order lifting the ban on government employees joining the RSS.

"We have seen statements in the media that the Gujarat government is not averse to withdrawing the order if the Bharatiya Janata Party high command desires it. If that happens, it is all the more better since we don't have to suffer the embarrassment of taking a stand on the ensure motion in Parliament," a party functionary said here on Saturday.

However, TDP Rajya Sabha member P Prabhakar Reddy said the TDP has already made its views clear on the issue.

"We have already made it clear that we are not in favour of the Gujarat government's order. We are not comfortable with it," he said.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP Parliamentary Party leader K Yerran Naidu have stressed the party's opposition to the Gujarat government order.

A senior TDP functionary said that the party leaders apprised the chief minister about this simmering issue.

"We gather that the CM had himself talked to the PM yesterday. Vajpayee is understood to have told Naidu that the issue would be sorted out before the voting began. The CM told the PM that the TDP MPs are busy till the civic polls are over on March 9. If necessary, the voting on the motion could take place in Parliament on March 13," the senior functionary said.

Refusing to spell out what the TDP's exact stand would be on the motion, Prabhakar Reddy said: "We have three options before us: Either we vote for or vote against the motion or abstain. Our intention is not to get the NDA government into trouble. The Congress game of embarrassing the NDA government will not be allowed. We are discussing the matter with allies like Trinamul Congress.

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