Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 21 : With just a day left for polling in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday asserted that coalition politics in India is based on consensus, not control, rejecting allegations that the AIADMK is being dominated by the BJP.
Speaking to ANI, Naidu said, "Anybody can blame anything. No slaves here. Every political party has its own approach and consensual understanding. We are all working together. Coalition politics is not new in India."
Taking a swipe at opposition parties, Naidu said such allegations were politically motivated. "Blaming is very easy. If you say one alliance is a slave, then what about others? They also have alliances. This is not the correct approach," he added.
On the issue of women's reservation and delimitation, Naidu questioned the Congress and its allies for opposing the proposed reforms. "I am asking Congress and its allianceask women what they want. They want reservation. This sentiment has existed for the last three decades. Who is responsible for denying it?" he said.
He further claimed that the Centre had shown flexibility on concerns raised by the opposition. "The Home Minister clearly said he would redraft the bill within an hour if needed. Why didn't they support it? This is a political agenda," Naidu remarked, adding that delimitation is inevitable and will have to be implemented by 2026.
Projecting confidence in the NDA, Naidu said there was a strong positive sentiment among voters. "It is very encouraging. People are very positive. This is the right time for voters to take a decision. If they miss, they will lose five years. If you want employment and development, vote for NDA. Narendra Modi ji is taking the country forward," he said.
On Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, the Chief Minister said new entrants must prove themselves. "In Tamil Nadu, many actors have entered politics in the past. It is not new. He has to go through public scrutiny," he said.
Responding to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's allegations of Hindi imposition, Naidu said the Centre promotes regional languages. "Who is imposing? If we learn more languages, including Hindi, we gain more exposure. It helps in national and global opportunities," he added, while calling for a stronger reform agenda in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4.
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