BHUBANESWAR: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has decided to contest five Lok Sabha and 52 Assembly seats in Odisha in 2019 elections to capitalise on the preponderance of Telugu speaking people in Southern districts of the State.Though the three main political parties of the State, BJD, BJP and Congress, maintain that the maiden entry of TDP into Odisha’s electoral arena in such a big way will have no impact, observers are of the opinion that the development should not be dismissed lightly.
TDP’s Odisha in-charge Rajesh Putra told this paper that the Telugu speaking people, who are a majority in Southern Odisha districts of Rayagada, Koraput and Ganjam can make much difference in electoral outcome in the area. In earlier elections from 2000 to 2009, TDP extended tacit support to the BJD and BJP who had an alliance in Odisha.
Putra said TDP chief Chandra Babu Naidu campaigned in 25 Assembly seats in the area in 2000 Assembly elections out of which alliance candidates won in 23 seats. As Naidu has set his eye on the national arena and is trying to put in place an anti-Modi, TDP’s foray into Odisha is expected to further bolster his position.
Putra said the TDP will contest elections on development agenda and put before people the strides made by Andhra Pradesh in last four years compared to 18 year rule of Naveen Patnaik in Odisha. “Odisha is not Bhubaneswar or Cuttack. Why is there no development in Odisha, no employment for youths,” Putra asked and added that there has been no industrial development despite claims by the BJD. The TDP wants Odisha to be a developed State, he said.
The TDP will contest Assembly seats in Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam and Nabarangpur districts. While Rayagada district has 80 per cent Telugu speaking people, in Ganjam and Koraput, Telugu speaking population is more than 50 per cent, Putra said and added that the TDP will field candidates from Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Puri Lok Sabha constituencies. Putra said Puri has a large fishermen population, a majority of whom are from Andhra Pradesh.Putra said TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu is expected to campaign for the party candidates to contest in Odisha in the 2019 elections.