VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of a brainstorming session organised by Telugu Desam Party national president and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu recently on the possible alliance with the Congress, rumblings within the ruling party have come to the fore with one section opposing the idea and another favouring it.
Though Chandrababu Naidu is yet to take a final call on the issue, TDP Politburo member and Roads and Buildings Minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu openly opposed such a proposal on Thursday. He said, “It will be a mistake on the part of the party leadership to cosy up to its archrival.”
A senior leader in the party, speaking in Visakhapatnam, Ayyanna Patrudu was of the opinion that the TDP was founded on the core principle of opposing the Congress culture and any move to get closer to the latter would be a mistake on the part of the party.
Ayyanna Patrudu’s open comments on the party leadership’s contemplation came on a day when Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was in Visakhapatnam attending various government programmes. The minister did not attend any of the two programmes as his bete noire HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao was with the CM.
Meanwhile, party leaders felt that there was no need to take Ayyanna Patrudu’s remarks seriously. A senior leader, when contacted by TNIE, made light of the remarks of Ayyanna Patrudu and said, “I don’t understand why Ayyanna Patrudu was in a hurry making such statements through the party has not yet taken any decision on the electoral alliance.’’
Another party leader added, “the CM elicited the opinions of party leaders on national politics and did not say anything with regard to the alliance with the Congress.’’
Meanwhile, Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana said that the TDP would align with such a party as would ensure justice to the State.
“As several parties are already joining forces against the BJP at the national level, we will also join them and will decide the next Prime Minister,” he said.
Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu already asserted that the TDP was capable of winning elections on its own and there was no need for alliances with other parties.
He went on to say that the TDP would unite non-Congress and non-BJP parties at the national level. Interestingly, even as speculation is rife over the TDP and Congress electoral understanding, leaders from the grand old party are said to be expressing interest in contesting the upcoming elections on behalf of the Telugu Desam Party.
While former Minister Kondru Murali Mohan from Srikakulam district called on State TDP president and Minister for Energy K Kala Venkata Rao on Wednesday and expressed his interest in contesting from Rajam Assembly Constituency, Kanigiri former MLA Ugra Narasimha Reddy met Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday triggering speculation that the former MLA from Prakasam district is set to join the ruling party.
Sources said the former MLA has been in two minds - whether to continue in the Congress or leave it for greener pastures -- for some time.
Chandrababu Naidu, who is eyeing to wrest the Ongole Parliament constituency from the YSRC, is reportedly interested in fielding former MP Maganti Srinivas Reddy and the latter want Ugra Narasimha Reddy to be the party candidate for Kanigiri, which would brighten his chances of victory as Kangiri assembly segment is part of Ongole Parliament Constituency.
However, with sitting MLA of Kanigiri Kadiri Babu Rao also being a TDP leader, the party leadership is now in a dilemma.
According to sources, Chandrababu Naidu is reportedly leaning towards Ugra Narasimha Reddy and the meeting of the two on Thursday attained significance in this backdrop.
However, when contacted, Reddy maintained that his meeting with Naidu was only a courtesy call. He met him to thank him for the promotion of his wife as a professor at Guntur Medical College.
In Srikakulam district, former Speaker of the AP Legislative Assembly K Pratibha Bharati, who unsuccessfully contested from the SC reserved Rajam constituency in 2014 is acting as the constituency in-charge of the Telugu Desam Party.
But, with local leaders unhappy with Bharati’s leadership, it is learnt that the Telugu Desam Party cleared the line for Kondru Murali to join the party.