The political journey of the TDP’s has been passing through rough weather for the past few years, and the situation worsened after TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu was arrested by Andhra Pradesh police in a graft case…reports Asian Lite News
Telugu Desam Party, has decided not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Telangana, and the beleaguered party here is yet to take a call on whom to support in the state, though it is part of the NDA in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, a senior leader of the party said.
TDP spokesperson Jyothsna Tirunagari, however, said the TDP will resume its political innings by contesting the local body polls, expected to be held in June or July this year.
“Though we are part of the NDA, we are not contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Telangana. The decision on whom to support in the upcoming polls in Telangana will be taken by the party’s senior leadership. As of now, there is no instruction on that,” she said.
The political journey of the TDP’s has been passing through rough weather for the past few years, and the situation worsened after TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu was arrested by Andhra Pradesh police in a graft case.
Following his arrest, the party decided not to contest the assembly polls in Telangana held on November 30 last year, prompting its state president, Ksanai Gnaneswar, to desert TDP and join former Chief Minister K Chandrasekahr Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) before the polls.
Since then, the party in Telangana has become headless and has been fraught with the desertions of several leaders and cadres. The TDP, which managed to win two seats in the 2018 Assembly polls in Telangana, polled 3.51 per cent of votes. It had a pre-poll pact with Congress and the CPI then.
As the TDP did not contest the polls last year, other parties wooed its leaders and pocketed its vote pie in the Assembly polls.
Replying to a query, Tirunagari said there were no official instructions on whom to support in the 2023 Assembly polls in Telangana. The choice of support was left to the local leadership, and they took decisions as per the prevailing conditions in their respective constituencies.
“Appointing a president to the Telangana unit of the party will be decided in Mahanadu (the TDP’s annual conclave),” the TDP leader said.
Lokesh dares AP CM for open debate
Telugu Desam Party’s general secretary Nara Lokesh on Wednesday challenged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for an open debate to compare the welfare work done under their respective regimes.
“We are ready for an open debate on under whose regime more welfare has been done. Are you ready for the debate,” Lokesh said during his interaction with the residents of Jupiter Apartments and nearby areas in China Kakaki in the Mangalagiri Assembly segment as part of his ongoing election campaign.
TDP national general secretary accused CM Jagan of withdrawing 100 welfare schemes, making false statements, and avoiding people’s questions on the promises he made before the election after coming to power.
“Jagan is the only Chief Minister on the Earth who has withdrawn 100 welfare schemes and he has done his doctorate in uttering blatant lies. During the last election campaign, Jagan has made umpteen promises to the people but after coming to power he is moving behind the screens as he is scared of people questioning him,” the TDP national general secretary remarked.
Stating that the ‘Videsi Vidya’ scheme implemented during the TDP regime for the poor students to go abroad for further studies has been cancelled by CM Jagan, while “both the daughters of Jagan are pursuing their higher studies abroad.”
“Does Jagan feel that the students of the middle and lower middle class should not pursue their higher studies abroad,” Lokesh questioned and said that in the name of Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena, Jagan stopped fee reimbursement.
Nara Lokesh promised to revive the fee reimbursement scheme and hand over the certificates to over six lakh students by making a one-time settlement to all the educational institutions, which has been pending for a long time.
Further, he alleged that those who are posting some comments on social media questioning Jagan on the promises that he has made are being subjected to harassment by registering false cases against them.
He also stated that “the entire Telugu Society has been living under constant fear for the past five years. When Jagan was arrested his corrupt practices worth thousands of crores have come into the open.”
“Telugu people across 80 countries have come onto the roads to agitate against Chandrababu’s arrest and he has come out with a clean image with the blessings of five crore people of the State,” Lokesh stated.
Targeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Nara Lokesh said, “If Chandrababu becomes the chief minister, the state will move forward. If Jagan is back, attacks on SCs, STs, and BCs will increase and be reported daily.”
“One State one capital is our slogan and within 100 days of coming back to power the Amaravathi works will be taken up again and all the dues to the farmers who have sacrificed their lands will also be cleared on a warfooting basis,” Nara Lokesh noted. (ANI)
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