BJP tells Chandrababu Naidu to pull out of 3 seats

HYDERABAD: The TDP-BJP alliance salvaged two days ago may be in for another spell of turbulence. This time it's over three assembly seats which are meant to go to BJP. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has got his party candidates to file nominations for these constituencies as well, sources said. BJP wants Naidu to either withdraw these contestants by Monday or stay away from the April 22 NDA rally in Hyderabad.

Narendra Modi visits Telangana on Tuesday and is scheduled to address the Hyderabad NDA rally. Party sources said this meeting could run into rough weather unless Naidu pulls out his candidates from Santanutalapadu (Prakasam), Kaikalur (Krishna) and Kadapa.

Modi is slated to fly into the region on April 22 and address meetings in Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Mahbubnagar. "He wants TDP candidates out of the fray by Monday ," a BJP insider said. After Naidu's showdown with BJP on Friday, the TDP chief patched up without Modi's party giving in to his demands, barring replacing 'weak' candidates in Narsaraopet and Kodumoru with stronger ones. TDP leaders conceded there were issues between their parties.

"These are about candidate selection. We're talking to BJP leaders, including their spokesperson Prakash Javadekar and Seemandhra unit chief K Haribabu. I hope we'll arrive at a settlement by Monday," TDP MP Sujana Chowdary said.

BJP and TDP are divided over Modi's meetings scheduled to be solo affairs. BJP says these are party meetings where Modi doesn't want any other leader present. But more importantly, BJP has made it clear if TDP contestants aren't withdrawn by Monday, Modi will prefer Naidu not to be there at the Hyderabad rally.