CHENNAI, Aug 6: United Front convenor and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was mum on matters pertaining to the Front and refused to be drawn into any discussion on the ongoing tussle within the Janata Dal (JD).

Talking to media persons at the Chennai airport on Tuesday, Chandrababu Naidu, who arrived here by a helicopter from Tirupathi, maintained a stoic silence on the rumblings in the UF and said there was no threat to the UF Government. He maintained that the UF experiment was a success and that the government was stable.

Naidu said he did not want to discuss any issue pertaining to the party though he was the convenor of the UF. ``Matters relating to the Front would be discussed in the Steering Committee meeting.''

On the walkout by Prime Minister I K Gujral during the Janata Dal national convention, the Chief Minister said ``that is a party affair. However, it should not have happened.'' Asked if he was demanding the resignation of Sharad Yadav as Janata Dal president in view of the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Court, and especially since he was in favour of the resignation of Laloo Prasad Yadav as CM following corruption charges, Naidu said he did not wish to comment on it. His efforts now were to bring about a greater unity in the UF.

Naidu refused to be drawn into a discussion on the suggestion of Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) president G K Moopanar calling for a coalition government based on the Kerala model by saying that this is Moopanar's view. ``I will not answer that question. As UF convenor, I will discuss all issues only in the Steering Committee and not outside.''

About the growing criticism in the UF on the Gujral-Kesri nexus and the differences of opinion among UF partners due to the Prime Minister's proximity to the Congress, Chandrababu Naidu said all that will be discussed only in the Steering Committee meeting.

On reports that the confidence of foreign countries investing in India was on the wane due to instability at the Centre, he said the reports were not true. Foreign investment in India was not affected, he said. Asked what steps the AP Government proposed to take in view of the reports of seepage of water in the Krishna water canal between Kandaleru and Poondi, Naidu said that there will be a government to government discussion with Tamil Nadu to sort it out.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.