ONGOLE: In the present political scenario, the situation of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) can be described as a sinking ship, BJP senior leader and Tobacco Board chairperson Yadlapati Raghunath Babu has said.
Addressing a press conference along with other BJP leaders PV Krishna Reddy and Sk Khalifatullah Basha at the party office here on Sunday, he also said his party was expanding and at its ‘peak phase’.
“There are several factors which are pushing TDP leaders towards BJP in Andhra Pradesh. The yellow party has lost public confidence and, now, many of its suffocated leaders are thinking to come out of that sinking ship.
On the contrary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are proving their visionary leadership and getting more public approval. Because of Modi, India is getting the respect it deserves in the world forum,” he said.
Yadlapati predicted that a major defection of the TDP leaders will ensue in the foreseeable future.
On tobacco cultivation, the chairperson said mechanisation would be introduced from the next year to enhance the yield and minimise labour cost. “We want to enhance the tobacco production by 40 per cent with the same scope of cultivation. As the conditions are favourable for farming, we appeal to growers to restrict themselves to the permitted extent for cultivation.”