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Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
A P Jitender Reddy, Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament and national convenor of the party's NRI cell, has suggested that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu be made convenor of National Democratic Alliance, replacing the incumbent George Fernandes.
The BJP MP mooted the suggestion to a few reporters in his hometown Mahbubnagar on Tuesday.
He felt that Naidu would be the best choice for the job.
"As convenor of the United Front, Chandrababu Naidu had proved himself to be the best crisis manager," he recalled.
However, Telugu Desam sources rejected the idea, pointing out that their party extended 'issue-based, conditional support to BJP-led NDA government from outside' and for this reason, it is not even a member of the NDA.
The other leaders in the BJP are 'unhappy' with Jitender Reddy for praising Naidu sky-high, when the TDP chief has been making critical comments about the handling of Gujarat situation by the BJP government there.
They also point out that Jitender Reddy, who earlier had stints in the Telugu Desam and NTR-TDP, probably wanted to curry Naidu's favours.
Admitting that the NDA is facing a crisis in the wake of Ayodhya episode and continuing violence in Gujarat, Jitender Reddy said that some NDA constituents such as Samata Party, Trinamool Congress, Janata Dal (United) and Lok Jan Shakti were adopting threatening postures over the Gujarat issue.
At this critical juncture, when the NDA's very existence has become uncertain, Naidu, with his crisis management skills, could play a crucial role in bringing all the NDA partners together.
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