Naidu learning Hindi for bigger political role

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

HYDERABAD

July 16: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu is busy learning Hindi these days to play a bigger role in the national political arena.

The 58-year-old leader is finding time to study the national language even in the midst of his hectic "Mee Kosam Yatra" across the state.

He scans Hindi newspapers every day through the Internet and also watches Hindi news channels and even soap operas to brush up his skills. He is also taking lessons from a tutor when he gets a breather.

In fact, Mr Naidu has been learning Hindi ever since he took the initiative to form the UNPA. But now he is burning the midnight oil like a student on the eve of exams.

TD leaders say Mr Naidu would have to hone his Hindi skills if he wants to do business with north Indian leaders who are not proficient in English and bring them together on the UNPA platform.

When the BSP supremo, Ms Mayavati, called up Mr Naidu on Sunday, the leaders conversed in Hindi. He will be talking more with her when he goes to Delhi on July 19.

Earlier senior TD leaders such as Mr Lal Jan Basha used to help Mr Naidu hold talks with the leaders of the Hindi states. But now the TD chief wants to speak on his own. He has already addressed UNPA farmers' rallies in Hindi.

"He is very keen on learning Hindi but his busy schedule doesn't give him much time" said Mr Sadasiva Sherma, who is the TD chief's Hindi tutor.

Though the TD chief holds a masters degree in economics, he is not well versed in Hindi as he hails from the Rayalaseema region where Urdu is not spoken unlike in Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, the Telangana Rastra Samiti president, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, is striving to learn the Gondu dialect of tribals in the Telangana region with an eye on the 2009 polls.