The three-day Mahanadu of the Telugu Desam Party was kicked off here on Wednesday with party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu calling for expanding the organisation into a national party with presence in other States and the meeting adopting a resolution to form central committee by amending TDP’s byelaws.
In his inaugural address, Mr. Naidu recalled the key role played by TDP at the national level in the formation of non-Congress governments at the Centre when the party was led by former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao.
The TDP was now playing three roles – ruling party in Andhra Pradesh, Opposition in Telangana and sharing power in the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre, where it was demanding justice for both A.P. and Telangana States.
He said that there was a need to discuss the expansion of the party to other States at the ongoing Mahanadu and gain recognition at the national level.
Mr. Naidu also appealed to Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Government to cooperate with the A.P. Government in resolving differences on various issues, even as he asserted that the TDP as an opposition party would fight uncompromisingly on the problems faced by people in Telangana.
Huge cut-outs of NTR, Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh, Chief Minister’s son and coordinator of the party welfare fund, were erected at several places on the routes to the venue at Gandipet.