Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s day-long hunger strike against the Central Government over the demand for Special Category Status (SCS) appears to be setting the tone and tenor for the party cadres to gear up for the 2019 general elections. The TDP coordination committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Naidu on Monday decided to adopt a two-pronged strategy to reach out to the people.
The party would organise a 20-day cycle yatra from April 21, a day after Mr. Naidu’s fast against the Narendra Modi government. The day happens to be Mr. Naidu’s birthday too. In-charge ministers would take part in the protest in their respective districts, while the rest would participate in the deeksha planned in the Capital city.
Nirasana deekshas
Apart from the cycle yatra which envisages promoting the government’s achievements, ‘nirasana deekshas’ have been planned to highlight the Centre’s non-cooperation towards the State. The cycle yatra—christened as ‘Prabhutva Vijayaala Pandugalu’— would focus on the development in the State.
During the cycle yatra, the TDP cadre will pick up a theme—an issue or an achievement such as construction of roads in villages, pensions and so on. “The cycle yatras should fill that gap between the party and the people. Let the cycle yatras and protest deekshas bring in a movement and the tide should be in favour of the party,” Mr. Naidu said on Monday.
Meanwhile, the ‘nirasana deekshas’ will be organised in every Assembly constituency and a huge public meeting with the theme ‘Let’s save the State from betrayal and conspiracies’ will be organised in Tirupati on April 30.
Now, TDP has plans to hold public meetings in all districts. The party coordination committee, however, has decided to postpone the valedictory of ‘Dalita Tejam- Telugu Desam’ slated for April 20 in view of the agitations for SCS.
Anna canteen
It has been also decided to organise minority cell meetings. Anna canteens, one of the promises made in the run-up to 2014 elections, would be launched on June 2, the appointed day on which the erstwhile A.P. was bifurcated. Mr. Naidu has directed the party leaders to conduct Mini Mahanadu in every district and Assembly constituency.
