TDP chief Naidu reiterates commitment to alliance to dethrone BJP

TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Friday said talks are still going on to bring "like-minded" political parties to take on the BJP in the general elections. So far, four meetings were held with non-BJP parties and the parleys are still underway, he told reporters after a meeting of the Opposition parties here.

Naidu said there is a "democratic compulsion" for all the Opposition parties to come together. However, the political compulsion of each party at the state-level will be taken into account, while forming a united force to fight the saffron party in the Lok Sabha polls. "Keeping political compulsions into account, all the like-minded parties will come together to take on the BJP. We are still in the process. We are discussing...So far, four meetings are held," Naidu said.

The motto is to 'Save India, Save Nation'. There have been instances of pre-poll and post-poll alliances, he said, adding that "let us see how things will shape up". Asked about the meeting, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief -- who broke away from the NDA last year -- said the parties expressed concern over likely manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines and decided to approach the Election Commission Monday on the matter.

Besides the EVMs, farmers and unemployment issues were discussed in detail in the meeting, he added. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, NC leader Omar Abdullah, SP's Ram Gopal Yadav, BSP's Satish Chandra Mishra, DMK's Kanimozhi, Derek O'Brien of TMC, CPI's D Raja, CPI-M's T K Rangarajan, Manoj Jha of RJD, AAP's Sanjay Singh and RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary, among others, attended the meeting.

Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and A K Antony, Danish Ali of JDS and Sharad Yadav were also present in the meeting.

(With inputs from agencies.)