Chandrababu Naidu, The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has been caught in a cleft, after its strident posturing on Gujarat. Finally, party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu came up with no surprises during the Opposition's censure motion in the Lok Sabha. His party abstained from voting. The only surprise element: the TDP staged a walkout after the prime minister's speech. Naidu spells out his party's position on Gujarat and its future relationship with the NDA.

Why didn't you vote against the government after you had raised the pitch on the Gujarat issue?
The resolution was too general. It was not specific to Gujarat and talked of law and order in all the states. Look at the wording of the motion. It could include Andhra Pradesh and the 14 Congress-ruled states. Besides, it was a resolution moved by the Opposition and the Congress.

But your vocal demand for Modi's removal has been rejected. Didn't you know that Vajpayee was not going to change his mind?
There will be changes...you will see. Ever so many changes will take place from now on, just wait. After all, in politics nothing is permanent.

What will be your next step?
We have to think of keeping the pressure up. This is required in the interest of the nation. What can we do? We'll still insist that Modi must be removed. Then, relief work needs to be done on a war footing. Relief and rehabilitation must reach each and everybody who needs it.

Don't you think your image has been dented because of this? You pushed the issue so far and then it appears that you let it drop
No, I don't think so. We have done our best and the people know that. It is only because of us that all this happened. Of all the allies, it is only the TDP that staged a walkout. We took a strong stand. The AIADMK, for instance, didn't take such a step. Even minority leaders in the NDA did not do much. What has happened in Gujarat is bad but I am not going to spend more time in politicking. People voted me in to bring development to the state. We politicians have all been guilty of only focusing on politics and people blame us for it.

But don't you agree that it was all an anticlimax?
From the beginning itself, we had made it clear that we will support the NDA but will remain independent. Our support to the government will continue as long as it stands by the NDA agenda. Support is from issue to issue. On this issue, we differed with them. Gujarat was a bad thing and we didn't support it.

Do you feel let down?
Yes, on this issue I feel the NDA agenda has been violated.

Will you take the lead role in the formation of a new Third Front?
No. That is not my concern as I want to concentrate on development issues.

Do you feel your secular credentials have come to be questioned?
Let me make it clear that we did our best. We will continue to ask for Modi's removal. We believe in secularism and there is no compromise on that. Whenever we have felt that the BJP has deviated, our party has protested. We stood up against the affronisation of the curriculum, we opposed the move by the Gujarat government to allow government servants to join the RSS and we also took a strong position on Ayodhya. Every time there has been such an issue, we have taken a strong stand.

Will you tie up with the BJP for the next elections ?
It is not the correct approach to talk about it today. I don't want to talk about it now.

What is going to be your future equation with the NDA?
Our position is clear. We will support the government when it does good things and oppose it when it does bad things. We are, of course, also opposed to the Congress as it is no better and has its own weaknesses.

Isn't it true that since your government relies heavily on financial sops from the Centre, you did not take the battle to its logical conclusion?
I believe in positive things. I've not taken anything for myself. What is wrong if I get funds from the Centre for the development of the state?