Naidu to hit campaign trail, to start with Malkajgiri LS on Saturday

Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu is all set to hit the campaign trail from Saturday.

According to a tentative schedule finalised by the party, Mr. Naidu will start his poll campaign from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat. He will tour the Chevella Lok Sabha and the Assembly segments falling under its purview the next day. Senior TDP leader K. Rammohan Rao told The Hindu that Mr. Naidu would conduct his campaign in at least two Assembly segments in each Parliamentary constituency.

The specifics of Mr. Naidu’s campaign from April 14 are being worked out and they would be finalised in a day or two. The TDP president has decided to complete selection of the party nominees for Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in the Seemandhra region before embarking upon the campaign. The TDP has already released its first list of candidates for 47 Assembly constituencies and seven Lok Sabha seats and the party is likely to announce the final list on Friday evening.

There is not clarity as yet on whether or not film actor and NTR’s son N. Balakrishna would contest in the forthcoming election. While Mr. Naidu said on Wednesday that he would discuss with the issue with Mr. Balakrishna and take a final decision, the film actor himself appeared undecided. “I will think over whether to contest the elections or confine myself to campaigning for the party,” was how he reacted to reporters’ queries at Dharmapuri in Karimnagar district.

The comment assumes significance as Mr. Balakrishna called on Mr. Naidu on Wednesday evening when the two reportedly discussed about the prospects of fielding the film actor in the forthcoming elections. Mr. Naidu, according to party sources, left the choice to Mr. Balakrishna.

Meanwhile, a group of industry representatives, affiliated to Industry and Investment Forum, launched bus yatra in support of the TDP. The industry delegation led by IT sector veteran J.A. Chowdary called on Mr. Naidu at his residence on Thursday and held discussions with him on the prospects of industrial development in the new State.

Flagging off the bus yatra, Mr. Naidu criticised the Congress for the hasty manner in which it had bifurcated the State without assuring infrastructure and other facilities for the new State. As a result, the administration in the successor State of Andhra Pradesh would be faced with Rs. 10,000 crore budget deficit at the time of formation.

Mr. Chowdary said the forum would intensify its efforts to attract investments from the US and other developed countries for accelerated development of Andhra Pradesh. The budget deficit could be overcome and AP would be surplus revenue State once the investments would start flowing in. The forum would launch its campaign from Kurnool and proceed to Nandyal later.