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Journalism of Courage
TDP president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is planning to revive the party in neighbouring Telangana. On Wednesday evening, Naidu addressed his first public gathering at Khammam and expressed confidence the Telugu Desam Party will get back to its past glory in Telangana.
Facing a tough opponent in Andhra Pradesh, where Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy continues to remain powerful, the TDP plans to revive the party in Telangana through Khammam which shares a border with Andhra Pradesh. In the December 2018 Assembly elections, the TDP won two seats in Khammam district—Sathupalle (SC) and Aswaraopet (ST)—but both MLAs defected to the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The TDP also won several seats in local bodies’ elections.
Now, Naidu wants to test the waters again in Assembly elections to be held next year. “We may contest in other districts also. Naidu will address public gatherings at other places also in the next few weeks,’’ said Telangana TDP president Kasani Gyaneshwar.
On Wednesday, Naidu expressed happiness at the sizeable gathering for his meeting, the majority of whom were youth, and said it was a clear indication. Listing out the developmental works he initiated in Hyderabad and other parts of the two Telugu states, he said the hard work now has begun yielding tremendous results. “I have struggled to make Hyderabad an Information Technology (IT) corridor only with a view that the youth should get better employment thus earning more. Now, you all know the reality of how the youth in Telugu states getting jobs not only in the country but across the globe,” Naidu said.
Naidu said it is the TDP that first introduced several welfare measures for various sections of society. “It was former CM N T Rama Rao, who introduced several welfare measures like the Rs 2-kg rice, subsidised power supply and housing for the poor, for the uplift of the downtrodden sections of society which helped them grow well,” he said.
Maintaining that the TDP is completing 40 years and will make a new beginning for a better future, the former chief minister called upon the public and the party’s leaders in Telangana to work hard. “We now need to bring back the fame and reputation to the TDP as the people now want the State to progress,” he said.
He said Cyberabad, Hitech City and Genome Valley in Hyderabad are all established with his vision and recalled how he managed to meet the Microsoft founder which gave birth to Hitech City.
Naidu said he made several visits to Khammam earlier but now he is coming to the town after a long gap. The former chief minister said the huge gathering for this meeting is a fitting reply to those who say that the TDP no longer exists in Telangana. “I want to see both the Telugu states to be on top in the country,” the TDP chief added.
On November 16, addressing a public meeting at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, Naidu had said the elections in 2024 would be his last if people did not elect the TDP to power. “Will you bless me? If I have to continue in politics then you have to elect the party to power. If I have to stay in politics, go to the Assembly, and ensure justice for Andhra Pradesh then you have to elect TDP in 2024. Unless you ensure our victory in the next election, that may be my last election,’’ he had said.
