VIJAYAWADA, MAY 27: The delegates' convention of Telugu Desam Party here has re-kindled the magical spell of late N T Rama Rao who founded the party 18 years ago, but was dethroned in a bitter power struggle in August 1995.The TDP patriarch found the pride of place at the party's `mini mahanadu', with leaders making eulogising references to him and vowing to strive to realise his ideals.The party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who had dislodged his father-in-law after leading a revolt against him, used the occasion to re-affirm the party's commitment to the ideals enunciated by NTR.With a huge portrait of NTR forming the backdrop of the dais and party banners carrying his pictures fluttering around the venue, Naidu devoted a significant portion of his speech to the contributions of NTR in "protecting the self-pride of Telugus" and evolving a viable non-Congress political force at the national level."He (NTR) gave a new definition to politics and was singularly responsible for ending the monopoly of Congress rule in the state. His commitment to the welfare of the poor and his innovative developmental programmes are exemplary," Naidu said.Exhorting partymen to carry forward NTR's political philosophy that focussed on the betterment of the under-privileged, Naidu recalled the TDP patriarch's pioneering role in bringing together all non-Congress parties on a single platform and said, "The marginalisation of Congress had started with the formation of national front under the leadership of NTR."Naidu garlanded the portrait of NTR before commencing the three-day party convention which later passed a resolution paying rich tributes to the founder leader.The venue - Siddhartha College grounds - has been rechristened as `NTR Pranganam' and the party is observing May 28, NTR's birth anniversary, as Telugu Language and Self-Respect Protection Day.The Postal Department will bring out a commemorative stamp in honour of NTR tomorrow. The Union Minister for Communications Ram Vilas Paswan will release the stamp at a special function being organised at Swarajya Maidan here.In sharp contrast to the fanfare and extravaganza that used to be associated with Mahanadu, the deliberations this time around have been kept at a low key in view of the drought situation in the state.The convention, originally scheduled for two days, has been extended by a day to accommodate the heavy agenda, with 34 resolutions being scheduled for the debate.A major portion of the deliberations on the opening day was focussed on `neeru-meeru (water and you)' programme launched by the TDP government as part of its water conservation mission to tackle recurring drought.The resolutions covering political developments, Constitutional review, Centre-state relationship, Information Technology, Vision-2020, law and order, industrial policy and development of backward regions would come up for debate on the last day of the convention on May 29.
