Venkaiah to stop sops to kins
in BJP
Sandesh Prabhudesai
9 August 2002
Though he refuses to admit that petroleum
minister Ram Naik is involved in petrol pump allotment
issue, Bharatiya Janata Party Venkaiah Naidu says his
party is evolving a system where people in high places
will not seek appointment of or concession for their
family members.
"There is no need to have an agreement
on this. Once party decides, everybody has to follow
the system", said Naidu while talking to journalists
after his arrival here as a part of his countrywide
tour to visit all the state units.
According to him, even if such appointments
are made or concessions are given on merit, it should
be avoided since it gives scope to 'misunderstanding'.
Dubbing the opposition demand of resignations
of Naik as well as prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
as absurd, Naidu also claims that the petroleum minister
has brought more transparency in the ministry while
improving upon the wrong system the Congress had laid
down all these years.
He dismisses the allegation that the
prime minister cancelled all the petrol pump allotments
because there was favouritism. "Such actions indicate
that this is the government with a difference. They
have committed no sin, why should they resign", he asked.
On the contrary, Naidu felt that people
of the country will lose confidence in the opposition
as their action of stalling the Parliament sittings
is a clear indication that they are running away from
having a debate on the floor.
According to him, the Congress is more
upset because Naik replaced all the political appointees
of the Congress on the respective committees and appointed
non-political persons like judges. He also did not agree
that the issue will have adverse impact on the Gujarat
elections.
Naidu also disclosed that former Gujarat
chief minister Keshubhai Patel will head the campaign
committee of Gujarat polls, while denying the charge
that Patel is not co-operating with the party.
While commenting on Shankarsingh Vaghela's
appointment as the state Congress president, Naidu said
he is happy that the Congress has chosen a RSS man as
their president. "I wish them best of luck", he said.
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