HYDERABAD: The TDP's coffers are empty and Chandrababu Naidu is in a dilemma whether to field candidates in the next round of bypolls to 18 Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat.
"We have been in the Opposition for eight years. It is difficult for us to contest byelections," Naidu told reporters Tuesday.
At one stage Naidu toyed with the idea of sitting out the bypolls as the AIADMK did in Tamil Nadu when it was in the Opposition. But then, that might leave the field open to "evil forces," he said, implying the YSR Congress (YSRC) party.
Naidu said his party is unable to match the money being splurged by the YSRC.
"The TDP did not loot the state nor did I amass wealth like Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. We have fought bypolls with great difficulty during these eight years. The YSRC on the other hand is distributing bags of money earned through corrupt means," Naidu said.
The opposition leader said byelections are being thrust upon the people unnecessarily.
"I thought why we should we contest the bypolls in such a situation. Bypolls are having to be held only because of the mistakes committed by MLAs loyal to Jagan Mohan Reddy," he alleged.
"No other state has witnessed as many byelections as Andhra Pradesh has." Naidu said.