Immediate family members of Telugu Desam Party President N. Chandrababu Naidu is learnt to have mounted pressure on him to suspend the Vastunna Meekosam padyatra in view of his health condition.
Mr. Naidus’ wife Bhuvaneswari and son Lokesh discussed the matter with him in detail.
They expressed concern over his health condition, and suggested him to conclude the padayatra as per original schedule of January 26.
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They, it is learnt, suggested him to take up bus yatra or road shows hereafter. It helps in improving the health and continuing the public contact programme.
Even the bus yatra facilitates in understanding the problems faced by the people. It also helps in keeping the momentum achieved with the padayatra.
The speculations are rife in the party circles also in this regard. Mr. Naidu, however, has not taken any decision on bus yatra mainly for two reasons:
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Earlier announcement that the padayatra would be extended; how will the people and political parties react if bus yatra was launched. There were expectations in the party that he would continue padayatra up to March-April and conclude at Yerran Naidu’s native village Nimmada.
The TDP leader launched his padayatra at Hindupur constituency on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti.
He is expected to cover over 2,000 km in 117 days covering about 13 out of 23 districts of the State in the first phase of walkathon. He, however, walked more than 1800 km in 117 days by January 26, deadline of first phase of padayatra.
Mr. Naidu covered 40 Assembly constituencies in 12 districts like Khammam, Anantapur, Krishna and Nalgonda. As many as 103 mandals, 822 villages were touched during his padyatra. He gave break to padayatra when TDP Polit Bureau member K. Yerran Naidu died in a road accident; during Neelam cyclone and dais collapse.