Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said winning all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the State would be a “return gift” to his Telangana counterpart K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR).
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president was overestimating his strengths with a mere 16 plus 1 Lok Sabha seats (TRS and MIM). He was daydreaming that he can influence the country’s politics. “We have 25 Lok Sabha seats in the State. And, by winning all of them, we can decide who should be the Prime Minister. It would be a return gift to Mr. KCR,” Mr. Naidu said.
Mr. Naidu was addressing the TDP Krishna district election preparatory meeting here. During his close to one-hour speech, the TDP supremo played the minority card, Telugu pride and tried to stoke State passions. “Mr. KCR is attacking our State. The Telangana government filed a case in court opposing Polavaram in February. Polavaram is our right and lifeline. We shall fight it out,” he said. The cadres responded with a thundering ‘yes’ when he asked whether he was right.
Backing YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would be detrimental to the autonomy of the State in a federal system. Andhra Pradesh would be remote-controlled by Mr. KCR in Hyderabad and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The safety of minorities would be at stake if Mr. Modi retained power. The TDP was fielding a Muslim minority woman Shabana Khatoon from Vijayawada (West) as the party always had concern for the minorities, he said.
Star campaigner
The TDP had launched Mission 150-plus for retaining power in the State and continuing the development of the State for the next five years.
He introduced the MLA candidates for 16 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats in the district. He said that Vangaveeti Radhakrishnawould be the star campaigner.
