Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (MB) - Pic Rons Bantwal

Mangalore, Oct 3: Former union defence minister and convener of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) said here on Monday that the news report of his planning to quit the NDA was baseless.

Having arrived here to attend a function to felicitate his long-time associate and freedom-fighter Ammembal Balappa at Bantwal, he spoke to mediapersons for a short while.

Fernandes categorically stated that all allies within the NDA were together and he would not join Samajwadi Party as rumoured.

News of his intending to join the Samajwadi Party was a report having appeared in the media and in fact when it appeared he had been abroad, he clarified.

He further said that there was no wedge between Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and him and news about it was also a story planted in the media.

He recalled that as union minister he had got sanctioned Rs 54 crores for the initial phase of work at the Mangalore airport. In this context, he regretted that no courtesy of extending an invitation to him to the function to be held on Tuesday, October 3 to mark the first international flight to Mangalore was shown.