TDP TURMOIL : Overtly T and covertly U?

The yellow party, by pursuing the `hidden agenda' of a unified Andhra
even as it claims it continues to be pro-Telangana, is in a mess

Hyderabad, December 12:
±Even five days after the Centre's decision to initiate the process of
Statehood for Telangana, the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is yet
come to terms with a situation that it, among other forces and factors, has
helped bring about.
±The Centre's decision has foregrounded not only the State of disarray
within the party but also the question of its apparent ideological
confusion.
±The way TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu reacted to Home Minister
Chidambaram's statement fuelled internal bickerings in the party, portending
further trouble that looks like it won't subside any time in the near
future.
±Naidu's statement has only managed to invite widespread condemnation, as
well as charges of double standards.
±The ideological turmoil stems from the the party's swearing openly by the
politburo's resolution in favour of Telangana while covertly pursuing the
``hidden agenda'' of a ``United Andhra''.
±As a result, party MLA G Kamalakar (Karimnagar) has resigned and decided to
remain as an independent legislator. Vemulawada MLA Ch Ramesh has also quit.
±Naidu's attempts at damage control by allowing Telangana and Andhra MLAs to
chose their respective agitational paths have further eroded the party's
public credibility. His own partymen from the Telangana region are appalled.
±A State-level CPI leader from Rayalaseema says that parties which had taken
a pro-Telangana stand and subsequently backed off only exposed their
``bankruptcy''.
±And Telugu Desam general secretary Varla Ramaiah points out that the
party's legislators from Andhra are under tremendous pressure from the
public and in no position to accede to Naidu's request that they withdraw
their resignations.
±The moot question is whether the TDP will be able to overcome the
present crisis? Its leaders, for now, are in no position to hazard a guess.