Express News Service By

In what could be seen as an effort to woo Dalit Christians into his partyfold in the ensuing general polls, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has promised them that he will bring a legislation to accord SC status to Dalit Christians if his party is voted to power.

Participating in a programme, organised by the ‘Global Peace Initiative’ an organisation, run by evangelist-turned-politico KA Paul on Saturday here, Naidu promised moon to the Schedule Castes.

The Telugu Desam P chief made a fervent appeal to the SCs and people from minority sections to vote for the TDP in the upcoming polls so as to root out corruption from the society.

In his bid to persuade minority sections of the society, Naidu tried to throw his weight behind the globe-trotting evangelist Paul, who had earlier faced criminal charges with regard to murder of his brother.

Taking an indirect dig at the then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the TDP chief went to the extent of giving a clean chit to Paul, saying that the latter had become a ‘fall guy’ in the hands of some politicians for the sake of their selfish motives.

Meanwhile, Paul, who had floated Prajasanthi Party, before the 2009 polls, praised the Telugu Desam Party president to skies, saying, ‘’Naidu is a good administrator. Eradication of poverty and rooting out corruption from the society is possible only with him. I call upon people to vote for Naidu in the ensuing polls.’’

During the programme, Paul blessed the TDP chief and prayed for the victory of the yellow party.

Telugu Desam Party leaders, who are of the opinion that the YSR Congress has a considerable clout among the Christian community, now believe that Paul’s support to the TDP might pull a few seats in Christian-dominated areas, particularly in Coastal Andhra districts, to its side.