'Vajpayee doesn't need a deputy'

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, OCT. 19. The Union Minister for Rural Development, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, has blamed "vested interests" for mischievously raising the question of "who after Mr. Vajpayee?".

Speaking to presspersons this evening, he alleged that there was a mischievous game plan in the matter. In the first place, the Prime Minister was not away from the country and the question of announcing a successor to him did not arise at all. He noted that in the past Prime Ministers such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi used to be away from the country for long periods and no pro tem prime minister was appointed.

Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, who was till recently the spokesman of the BJP, asserted that the party had never discussed the issue of naming a successor to Mr. Vajpayee. Moreover, the BJP did not believe in dynastic rule, he said in an indirect dig at the Congress (I) and its President, Ms. Sonia Gandhi.

Mr. Naidu himself voluntarily referred to the successor issue.

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Section  : Southern States
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