Venkaiah to bring Vice President's office close to people

Taking a leaf from people’s president APJ Abdul Kalam, who has brought Raisina hill close to people, Vice President elect Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu said that he would try bringing the Vice President’s office close to people.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday Venkaiah Naidu said that he was sad to leave his cabinet post as taking up vice presidents job meant an end to his political life which he is very fond of.

“In this job I can’t speak politics and I will not also. But it is no where mentioned that being in public life you can’t react on issues that matter to people. I am still thinking on it, will be speaking to officials to make Vice Presidents office close to people, while discharging my duties as Chairman of Rajyasabha,” Naidu said. He said that as Chairman he will give maximum chance to the opposition members to air their point of view.

However Naidu said that he is not keen on his two children join politics. Answering a question whether he will encourage his children to join active politics now that he has to forgo his portfolio he said that if they struggle and reach that position he would not mind but he will do nothing to bring them to politics. “I maintained certain traditions. I have contested elections but never invested any money taken from home, nor took a penny home. They have to be the same,” Naidu said.

He also denied that his son Harsha who owns a car dealership here used his influence to get a massive order from Telangana government. “It was an absurd allegation and I was force to respond to that because the people who made these allegations took my name,” he said. The Congress alleged that TRS government ordered police vehicles worth Rs. 270 crore in 2014 and some of the cars were bought from Harsha Toyota, owned by Mr. Naidu's son.