A grassroots makeover?

VV Balakrishna
First Published : 08 May 2010 04:41:00 AM IST
Last Updated :

HYDERABAD: The death of bete noire YS Rajasekhara Reddy, has brought about a sea change in the routine of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrbabu Naidu who is into his second successive term as leader of the Opposition.

Freed from the compulsion to launch or parry diatribes, he is focusing on strengthening his party at grass-roots level. Naidu comes to NTR Bhavan daily in the morning and meets cadres, leaders and people in general to apprise himself of local problems which he directs respective district party seniors to follow up.

``The interactive programme (Ishta gosti) is a very good concept. This way the party chief keeps abreast of ground-level situations,’’ maintains TDP politburo member K Yerran Naidu.

Naidu also tries to strike a rapport with second-rung cadres by inquiring about their personal problems and financial status and giving advice when he can. And the NTR Memorial Trust provides some help to party workers with self-employment schemes. It recently conducted a counselling session for more than 1,000 cadres in this regard.

“If party workers start their own business, they can do moderately well. After a year, sincere workers can help out by contributing their mite to the party from income generated through honest means,’’ a functionary said.

The idea was mooted by Naidu whose family also runs the Heritage business involved in dairy products and pickles.

“It is rare to see second-rung leaders sitting face to face with a party chief.

Naidu has really brought about a big change,’’ says Karnataka State TDP president Venkatesappa.

The honcho is also keen to tour the districts and mingle with the people.

But given his ambiguity over the burning issue of Telangana it has to be seen how the visits are received.

Critics, however, have been quick to decry Naidu’s newfound enthusiasm for grass roots party-building as nothing but evasion of the central issue of State politics today.