SANGAREDDY: The recent media reports on actor-turned-politician P Babu Mohan’s possible return to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has sparked speculation that its president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is once again looking to revive his party in Telangana.
If sources are to be believed, Naidu, with an eye on 2029 Assembly elections, is hoping to strengthen the party in Telangana. In an attempt to achieve that goal, he is believed to be trying to convince key leaders from other parties to join the TDP, starting with leaders belonging to the erstwhile Medak district.
Sources also said that the TDP, which decided against contesting in the 2023 Assembly elections and recent Lok Sabha elections, is planning to contest in the upcoming local body elections.
It is reliably learnt that a few leaders were given permanent membership during NT Rama Rao’s time and they continue to be members of the party to this day.
A few leaders in the erstwhile Medak district, the home district of BRS president and former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, too are continuing in the TDP.
Naidu, meanwhile, is not only wooing the former members of the TDP but is also said to be targeting a few disgruntled BRS leaders, including those who unsuccessfully tried to join the ruling Congress in the state.
It may be noted that when Chandrababu Naidu visited Hyderabad recently, BRS leader and former minister Ch Malla Reddy and his son-in-law Marri Rajasekhar Reddy along with former mayor Thigala Krishna Reddy met the TDP chief, leading to speculation that they may shift loyalties some time in future.
Krishna Reddy is also trying to convince some key leaders from the erstwhile Medak district to join the TDP.
Meanwhile, sources confirmed that Naidu had in fact called up Babu Mohan recently but the latter is yet to take a decision on returning to the TDP fold.
It may be mentioned here that Babu Mohan contested from Andole Assembly segment twice on the TDP ticket and also served as the labour minister in Naidu’s Cabinet when he was the CM of the undivided Andhra Pradesh.