A day after Lok Sabha passed A.P Reorganisation Bill 2013, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders in the district have begun introspection. A big question, now, before them is how to face the people and seek their support in the coming elections.
All their efforts since 2009 hunger strike to keep the Seemandhra people in good humour went in vain as TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu did not take a firm stance on united Andhra though the Samaikyandhra sentiment was riding quite high, they say.
The TD leaders are, in private, squarely blaming TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu for the catastrophe in the offing.
The TDP leader with his equal justice policy could neither please Telanganites nor Seemandhra people.
On top of it, the party lost confidence of people in districts like Krishna. They recall the ‘Vastunna Meekosam’ padayatra, which did not make the desired impact to provide a firm ground for the party in the district.
Mr. Naidu had to face the heat of Samaikyandhra agitation during much-touted Telugu Jati Atma Gaurava Yatra (a bus yatra) in the district. Response was very poor during his yatra, which passed through Telugu Desam strongholds like Mylavaram, Gannavaram, and Tiruvur constituencies in September 2013. Mr. Naidu ignored the Samaikyandhra sentiments here despite all this, they say.
Referring to Congress leader D. Srinivas’s statement that AICC president Sonia Gandhi took firm stand on Telangana though numerically it has less number of MPs compared to Seemandhra, the Telugu Desam leaders say, Mr. Naidu should have firmly said that Seemandhra has 25 MPs, and the party was committed for the interests of united Andhra.
“If Congress could dare to say that it was more concerned for Telangana which is geographically smaller area, why not TDP?” they ask.
The Telugu Desam leaders feel that the party’s inclination towards BJP also helped anyway. The BJP has ditched the Seemandhra with its hoodwinking statements. In fact, the alliance with the BJP would have worst impact on the voting in coming elections, they opine.
