TDP sees revival in TS via Khammam

Khammam: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which faced electoral defeats and defections in the past, is now gearing up for the upcoming general elections in the State.

In that direction, the party is mainly focusing on Khammam district, which shares the border with Andhra Pradesh. In fact, the voters in the district elected TDP candidates in the last two Assembly elections. On the other hand, the district is the centre point of both Nalgonda and Warangal districts.

After appointing the new State president for the party, the TDP leadership has expedited its activities in Telangana. The party is planning a massive public meeting with one lakh people in attendance in the Khammam town on Deceber 21, first time after the last general elections, TDP parliamentary president Kurapati Venkatesarlu told The Hans India.

Party supremo K Chandrababu had already given nod to the party State president Kasani Gnaneshwar to prepare for the next Assembly elections in the State. and the leaders started their works for conducting the meeting which will be attended by the party workers from Nalgonda and Warangal districts. Party national president N Chandra Babu Naidu and other senior party leaders will attend the meeting.

The party leadership is hoping to make a re-entry in the State politics with the Khammam meeting and to attract fans of former CM late N T Rama Rao and followers of TDP. With the TDP's re-entry, the political atmosphere likely change in the State, said a senior TDP leader.

This is the correct time for the party to prepare for the coming general elections in the State, he told The Hans India. The party had won only two Assembly seats in 2018 general elections though it had formed a 'Mahakutami'. It won Aswaraopet (ST) seat in Kothagudem district and Sathupalli (SC) seat in Khammam district. But the TDP MLAs joined the TRS party. The party has got around 100 elected members in local bodies in the district. There are 20 MPTCs, 10 sarpanches and 70 ward members. Mainly the party second rung leaders are interested in developing the party in the district. They are gearing up to hold mandal-level meetings in the district also. Recently, the party had taken out a massive bike rally at Vemsoor mandal headquarters in Sathupalli constituency where a large number of TDP cadres attended and made it a huge success.

Former Minister, senior TRS leader Tummala Nageswara Rao who played a key role in NTR and ChandraBabu government,s also attended the meeting and praised the former CM and party founder N T Rama Rao, is attracting the attention of the TDP leaders.

On the other hand, the TDP leaders in Palair constituency, where Nageswara Rao was defeated in last election on TRS ticket, have announced that the party will extend support to Nageswara Rao in coming general elections.

The party cadres are also forcing Nageswara Rao to rejoin TDP for strengthening it in the district. They are of the opinion that TRS party is not giving due priority to him, hence it is the time for proving his strength and power of the party in the district.

The TDP leaders here feel that the party has good cadre strength in the district and the party candidates may win more seats in the upcoming elections. The senior leaders of the party who defected to other parties are being asked to rejoin TDP for strengthening it. However, the TDP has a long way to go to develop the party in the district.