Aiming to win all 175 seats in the general elections in 2019, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Tuesday decided to follow the poll strategies adopted in the Nandyal by-election and the Kakinanda municipal polls. The party will adopt three-pronged strategy — public management, political management and poll management in future elections.
“We have to get ready for 2019. Our aim is to win all 175 constituencies. You have to go to every household to explain the government’s development and welfare activities and get public feedback. Don’t discriminate among the people because such all inclusive ways resulted in scoring success in Nandyal and Kakinada elections,” said TDP national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Addressing a TDP workshop here, he said the Kakinada and Nandyal elections were like mid- term assessment.
The poll results proved beyond doubt that the public were with the Telugu Desam. They voted for the development and welfare activities of the government. Though the TDP was unprepared for the Kakinada polls, it was an impressive victory. “All we need to do is follow same strategies in 2019,” he said.
The TDP leader said the public management should be done through the development and welfare programmes of the government. Political management would be the responsibility of the respective leaders. Poll management was crucial in every election and “each and everyone should handle it carefully and efficiently”, he said.
“In the process,” Mr. Naidu said, “the focus should be on achieving ‘uniform majority’ across the State.” If there are any variations or deviations in the majority in any of the constituencies compared to other constituencies it would be construed as failure of leadership there, he said. “Consider the elections as challenge and fight. Don’t leave it to fate.”
The TDP government has implemented promises made in the run up to the elections in 2014. The manifesto was prepared for combined Andhra Pradesh. Notwithstanding, the promises made in the manifesto were implemented though the State was facing revenue deficit.
“Remember, if we are working, it is to win elections. Else, someone will come to power,” he said.
Referring to YSR Congress, Mr. Naidu said, “The Opposition is now indulging in mud-slinging. The leaders in that party are looking for ways to get out of the party and those with criminal attitude are gaining an upper hand there.”
Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapati Raju, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Sujana Chowdary, TDP State president and Energy Minister K. Kala Venkat Rao, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, IT Minister N. Lokesh, I&PR Minister Kalava Srinivasulu, former Speaker K. Pratibha Bharati and others were present.
