NEW DELHI, Jan 4: Dismissing as non-consequential talk of the BJP's ``big brotherly'' attitude over seat sharing in Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party (NTR) President Lakshmi Parvati said any differences between the two parties would be resolved shortly.But whatever the problems between her party and the BJP, there was no possibility of the TDP-(NTR) opting for any kind of seat adjustment with the Congress in the coming Lok Sabha polls, Parvathi said.
The TDP leader was confident that in the talks with the state BJP leaders on January 8, both parties would reach an agreement on seat sharing.
Parvathi said the TDP-NTR plans to contest 20 out of the 42 seats in Andhra and to support 2 independents. The remaining 20 seats would be available to the BJP and its allies.
However, Parvathi said she was surprised when the BJP state unit, in a sudden and unilateral decision this week, announced that it would contest 35 seats.
Clearly miffed at not being consulted, she today emphasised that the TDP-NTR had a
sizeable vote base in the state, compared to which the BJP's presence was minimal.
``Any benefit from an electoral alliance between the two parties will only be to the BJP. This the BJP should understand'', she said.
``We control 40 lakh votes in Andhra'', Parvathi claimed though in the last general elections a majority of her party candidates had lost their deposits.
Following the talks with the BJP leaders on January 8, where Parvathi said she was sure all differences between the two would be ironed out, she would announce her poll strategy by January 10. A week later, on January 18 which happens to be her husband and party founder N T Rama Rao's second death anniversary, she would launch her poll campaign.
Describing the Congress as her party's ``traditional enemy'', she flatly denied that she had made any attempt to meet either Sonia Gandhi or Congress President Sitaram Kesri.
At the same time she said if she was ``approached'' by the Congress for seat adjustments, she would consider
it.
Parvathi said her party's prime objective in the coming elections was to keep AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's TDP out of Parliament.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
