Babu versus Babu

Naidu, who has already been facing increasing criticism from the Opposition on the one hand and a friendly8217; yet restive Left on the other, now faces some hostility within his own party. The failure to initiate firm action against dissidents has, it seems, sent wrong signals down the party hierarchy.

Mohan Babu is just the most publicised dissident. He declared a fight against hi-tech corruption8217; in public life. His fight8217; came out into the open when the TDP served a show-cause notice on him for beating up a party colleague at Tirupati. Carrying it into the street, he undertook a day-long fast on Gandhi Jayanti.

He wanted to lodge his protest at the NTR Ghat but was denied permission. His writ petition filed in the High Court on the issue smacks of his new-found antipathy towards Naidu: 8220;Ardent followers of late Sri N.T. Rama Rao were emotionally provoked against him8230;Everybody was carried away by the said provocation and joined hands with the power mongers. The said act of conspiracy ultimately resulted in the death of Sri N.T. Rama Rao8230;8221;Naidu gave him a long rope, keeping partymen wondering.

While the TDP president himself claimed that he did not want to initiate stringent action against anyone as he wished to carry all sections with him, Mohan Babu8217;s hangers-on dropped enough hints about the business connections between the two.

In fact, the Rajya Sabha member too has talked 8220;off the record8221; about his stake in Heritage Foods, promoted by Naidu at one time.

The party issued a show-cause notice on the MP but he replied in an arrogant style and questioned the right to issue a show-cause notice when the issue concerned was a personal one. The TDP finally decided to expel him. 8220;I will not take it lying down. I will carry on a legal battle. The Telugu Desam belongs to me and those who have come from the Congress Chandrababu and the Lok Dal disciplinary committee chairman V. Sobhanadreeswara Rao cannot expel me,8221; Mohan Babu declared.

But the expulsion alone will not solve the problems for the party and its leader. Naidu is uncomfortable with at least two other leaders Union minister Renuka Chowdary and NTR8217;s son Harikrishna. Harikrishna has been quiet for some time, but Chowdary has been creating enough troubles for Naidu. A few weeks ago, she rubbed the administration the wrong way when she barged into the Panjagutta police station and abused the officials present for siding with landgrabbers8217;. The police are stated to have taken away a couple of her supporters for questioning in a land dispute and this raised her ire.

The indiscipline8217; does not stop at the MP-level but has percolated down to the zilla parishads too with many ministers locking horns with the chiefs. Two women zilla parishad chairpersons were suspended from the party when they refuse to quit their posts in the face of charges of corruption. 8220;Just because we are women, the party has taken action against us. The chief minister has been misled by ministers,8221; they lament.

There were charges of corruption against Adilabad zilla parishad chairperson Sumati Reddy and Nellore zilla parishad chairperson Nagabhushanamma and they refused to step down. When TDP members moved no-confidence motions against them, they managed to stay on with the support of the Congress.

In a more recent instance, the Cuddapah zilla parishad chairman Tulasi Reddy, former MP, faces disciplinary action for criticising the Government decision to divert funds under various Centrally-sponsored scheme to the Janmabhoomi programme. Such a transfer would divest the elected representatives of control over the funds which would then be administered by the district collectors.

Tulasi Reddy spoke his mind and even threatened to quit at a meeting of the Cuddapah zilla parishad and as Telugu Desam members argued with him, he was supported by the Congressmen present, including MP Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

The party has decided to issue a show-cause notice on him too.

8220;Some sort of shock treatment is necessary and the Mohan Babu expulsion may serve as one,8221;says a member of the disciplinary committee, who does not want to be named. He denied that action was being initiated only against those who did not have the necessary pull8217; within the party.

Naidu is of the view that his lenience and effort to take all sections into confidence is being mistaken for indecisiveness. 8220;When I take a decision, I am firm about it and then everyone will be forced to fall in line,8221; he says.