BJP senior leader and NDA vice-presidential candidate M Venkaiah Naidu today said “he never vied for any post, but posts themselves came behind him”.
Participating in a “ Meet and Greet” program organized at Image Gardens, Madhapur, Venkaiah Naidu, during his first visit to the city after NDA selected his name for country’s vice-president post, said in his young age he became president of the State party. “Later I became Union minister and got an opportunity to work as party’s national president”, he said, adding that after taking responsibility as country’s vice- president, a new life would begin for him. “The party is like my mother and I became emotional when my name was announced for vice-president post thinking that he would have no connection with the party hereafter while discharging the constitutional post. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to control my emotions”, Naidu said. He said. “He was pained to keep away from the party which gave me respect and responsibility and had decided to leave politics in 2020 and render social service”. He advised two Telugu States to resolve their issues amicably. Venkaiah Naidu said when TDP emerged victorious in 1983, NTR invited him to his party and offered cabinet post. But he politely declined.
Refuting charges against him, Venkaiah said, “He never faced any pressure from his family members during his long political life. Children themselves made their career and they never depended on me. My family never got any benefit using my influence. It was very unfortunate that some people were leveling baseless allegations against my family members”, he clarified.
People from various walks of life, politicians and ministers attended the function and greeted Venkaiah Naidu. Those who attended include Telangana ministers KTR, Nayani Narasimha Reddy, Tummala Nageshwar Rao, MPs Sujana Choudhary, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, BJP State president Laxman, party MLAs G Kishan Reddy, Chintala Ramachandra Reddy, Congress senior leader K Jana Reddy, Loksatta founder-president Jayaprakash Narayan, former DGPs Dinesh Reddy, Ramudu, ace film director Raghvendra Rao, actors Akkineni Nagarjuna, Daggubati Venkatesh, MP Muralimohan and others. (NSS)