The Telugu Desam Party Telangana State unit has initiated efforts to form a broad-based coalition for taking on the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti in the next elections whenever they are held.
The TDP-TS leadership, which held confabulations for two days under the chairmanship of party president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has decided to form a five-member committee headed by State unit president L. Ramana for negotiating with like-minded parties on a possible coalition/understanding. The committee has decided to start the process in right earnest.
The five-member committee of the TDP is holding a preliminary meeting with CPI leaders, including its State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy, on Sunday and it is likely to initiate talks with Prof. M. Kodandaram-led Telangana Jana Samiti on Monday.
Once a formal understanding is reached between the three sides, they would hold discussions with the main Opposition Congress on forming a coalition. “The main intention will be to avoid a split in the opposition vote to the maximum extent possible,” a senior leader TDP-TS leader told The Hindu .
Interestingly, Mr. Naidu, who took note of the report on the existing political situation in the State, was learnt to have hinted to party leaders that they should evaluate the pros and cons of the proposed alliances to ensure that the party’s interests did not suffer. The party leaders told Mr. Naidu that it had strong presence in 40 constituencies where its traditional vote share of around 35% remained intact, while the party witnessed leadership void in close to 40 constituencies thanks to the switching loyalties by a section of senior leaders.
Mr. Naidu was understood to have told the leaders that it was for them to take a call after assessing the situation threadbare and instil confidence in the cadre so that it was retained, enabling the party to play a decisive role in the formation of the next government. The TDP president was learnt to have asked them “not to depend too much on his presence during the campaign period” but asserted that he would continue to provide guidance in party affairs as and when required.
The party had also decided to constitute a manifesto committee with senior leader T. Devender Goud as chairman and election campaign committee with Rajya Sabha member Garikapati Mohan Rao as chairman.
