HYDERABAD: There seems to be a good response to TDP supremo and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s call to all those in Telangana who had left the party to return home, a kind of ghar wapsi. After the success of Khammam public meeting, the party is preparing to hold a similar public meeting either in Nizamabad or Mahbubnagar, post-Sankranti in the coming days. At least two former ministers are ready to join the TDP which is trying to stage a comeback in Telangana.
According to one reliable source in TDP, one leader is from Khammam, and the other is from Nizamabad. They are likely to return to TDP in the second week of February.
The leader from Khammam is a very senior politician and served as a minister thrice, twice when the TDP was in power in the combined State and once in Chandrasekhar Rao’s cabinet. He is a four-time MLA and a one-time MLC.
The Nizamabad leader is a five-time MLA and served as minister during the TDP regime in the erstwhile AP. Both the leaders, who are in the BRS now, are frustrated over being marginalised in the party. They are yearning to return to TDP where they think they feel at home. They reportedly spoke to Naidu, who is understood to have welcomed them. The TDP is at present focusing its attention on Khammam, Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy-Hyderabad (GHMC area), and part of Warangal.
The party leaders believe that the former MLAs of Mahbunagar, Nizamabad and Khammam are likely to join the party in the coming days. The sources said that currently talks were going on with the party leadership.
In the GHMC areas, several former corporators are also showing interest in joining the TDP and contest for the Assembly seats where the TDP has a substantial Andhra support.
The TDP leaders take exception to BRS leaders taking objection to Chandrababu Naidu addressing a public meeting at Khammam. “They should keep in mind that Chandrasekhar Rao had changed the party name from TRS to BRS to enter the national arena. If he can contest in other States, why not the TDP in Telangana,” they ask.