The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will decide over possibility of its entry into political arena of south Odisha adjoining Andhra Pradesh as per the decision of the NDA, said TDP leader and Union Minister for Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju in Berhampur on Tuesday.
Replying to a question during a press conference in the city regarding speculation of the TDP building up its base in south Odisha districts, where large numbers of Telugu-speaking people reside, Mr Raju did not give any clear answer. He said the TDP was no more a regional party of a single State as it has strong presence in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and the party wants to strengthen its organisation further. “As we are in the NDA, we will not take any decision or action which will counter the political prospects of any of our associates in the NDA,” he said.
He added that for entry into Odisha politics, the TDP will surely take opinion of its NDA partners.
It may be noted that for past few months, the TDP leaders are in touch with the leaders of Telugu community in south Odisha. Several persons from south Odisha have also travelled to Andhra Pradesh to meet TDP leaders. It is reported that the TDP is trying to make inroads into south Odisha with an aim to become a national party. It aims to make its presence felt in Telugu populace-inhabited areas of Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with the focus on 2019 general elections. Districts of south Odisha like Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur have sizeable Telugu families. The parliamentary constituencies in south Odisha where Telugu voters play a key role are Berhampur, Koraput and Nabarangpur.
