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Journalism of Courage
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh has declared its support to NDA presidential nominee Droupadi Murmu. TDP chief and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said his party backed Murmu as the “first tribal woman president” and said that it would be “wonderful to see her as the President of India”.
The TDP has three MPs in the Lok Sabha and 23 MLAs in the state Assembly. With this, the two main parties in the state have declared their support for Murmu’s candidature. Though the BJP does not a have single MP or MLA, all votes will go to Murmu.
Naidu had earlier taken a tough anti-Modi stand ahead of the 2019 general elections over the NDA government not fulfilling promises made during the bifurcation of the state to create Telangana.
“We have decided to back her as she is the first Adivasi woman to be nominated. There is no other consideration,” said TDP politburo member Y Ramakrishnudu. However, the move is seen as the party warming up to the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections although leaders of both parties have denied that there is any possibility of reconciliation.
The ruling YSR Congress Party has already declared its support for Murmu. YSRCP parliamentary party leader V Vijaysai Reddy said the party feels Murmu will make a great president. Reddy and party MP Mithun Reddy had accompanied Murmu to file the nomination papers. The YSRCP has 22 MPs and 151 MLAs. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s support to Murmu was anticipated as the state government has a long wish list for the Centre and the chief minister is said to be hoping that the massive support that the YSRCP is offering to the NDA nominee will be beneficial to the state.
While chief minister Reddy has made several trips to New Delhi to seek funds, on July 4, a few days after the YSRCP declared its support to Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bhimavaram to unveil the statue of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju. At the time, the chief minister gave a letter to PM Modi requesting him to release the resource gap grant of Rs 34,125.5 crore and sought to clear dues of Rs 6,627.28 crore owed to the state by Telangana discoms.
Reddy also asked PM Modi to consider the revised estimates of the Polavaram Project and approve Rs 55,548.87 crore. He sought adequate financial support for newly established medical colleges in the state and requested clearances for the Bhogapuram Airport, besides asking to allocate iron ore mines to the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC). He urged the Prime Minister to grant special status to the state which would help it to recover from various issues since the bifurcation.
