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Naidu gets patient hearing from PM

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Pushing aside jetlag resulting from a 11-day visit to Hong Kong, China and Japan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Saturday met Prime Minister A B Vajpayee in New Delhi.

Speculation was rife in the capital over this meeting, since it was widely believed that Naidu was unhappy over the recent controversy centering around the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's influence over the government. In fact, given Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray's statement that the two parties could bring down the government, it was expected that the CM would speak his mind in his one-to-one meeting with the prime minister.

However, in interaction with newsmen later, Naidu denied speculation that he had met the prime minister to air his grievances and insisted that it was only a courtesy call. Maintaining that "certain issues" were discussed, he refused to divulge details.

He also stated that he disagreed with Thackeray's statement on bringing down the government and said, "We are for good governance and for transparency, rather than the other way."

He also said the prime minister was in good health following his knee surgery, and denied the suggestion that the PM should step down following West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu's lead.

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