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Thursday, 31 December 2009

TDP to try for credibili‘T’

Express News Service
First Published : 25 Dec 2009 03:47:00 AM IST
Last Updated :

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is fancying its chances of creating an impression on the people of Telangana by taking advantage of the Congress’ bungling on the vexed Statehood issue.

Claiming that it has always been pro-Telangana, the yellow party has also decided to take on the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.

The TDP maintains that it had anticipated the Centre going back on its word. The party’s Telangana leaders had put in their papers were planning to tour the districts to expose the ``double standards’’ of the Congress.

In the wake of attack on party MLAs on the the Osmania University campus, the party is now planning to target even the TRS, whose leadership, it alleges, was behind the attack.

Meanwhile, party president N Chandrababu Naidu today sought to convey the image that his election time pro-Telangana stand was unchanged by visiting the injured TDP MLAs in hospital.

Over the last ten days Naidu has been doing a tightrope walk between the Andhra and Telangana camps within his party. And he has been keeping out of the public eye, addressing the the media only twice during the period and generally confining himself home.

While he Naidu did not even console Andhra leaders like D Uma Maheswara Rao, N Rajakumari, P Keshav and others who fasted for days for United Andhra Pradesh.

Interestingly, Naidu immediately called on Telangana MLAs including Nagam Janardhan Reddy and others, who sustained injuries in the attack by OU students.

It amply proves that Naidu is committed to Telangana state and there was no going back on the issue like PRP and some Congress leaders, according to analysts.

TDP leader T Devender Goud today clarified that TDP was sincere in its commitment and help all the Constitutional process that required for the formation of separate Telangana. With all these factors, the TDP would further intensify its efforts to occupy the political space in the Telangana region in the ruffled situation after the Centre changed its tacks.


Comments

Chandrababu Naidu is showing opportunism by not making his stand clear. If Congress supports the resolution on Telangana, he will come out and say he is against it to gain the vote in Andhra region. When congress is backing out he would go and support Telangana cadre hinting that he supports Telangana. Im no fan of Congress, but I think congress did its part by initiating the process for the formation of Telangana. If Chandrababu makes his stand clear, it would solve the deadlock in the state to a large extent.
By Bix
12/25/2009 7:58:00 PM

These games are not going to work anymore! Take a clear stand and resolve the issue or face the consequence of your TDP getting wiped out in Telangana.

People are supremos, not party bosses

V V Balakrishna
First Published : 31 Dec 2009 03:56:00 AM IST
Last Updated :

HYDERABAD: The people have spoken -- they are determined to have Telangana.

So what are the supremos of various political parties doing now that their constituents have stated their preferences loud and clear? They have taken the easy way out -- confining themselves to their homes and keeping away from the TV channels.

Now, it is the people who are the supremos, not the party bosses.

The masses have taken centrestage and the leaders are watching from the sidelines.

For instance, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu has scarcely been available to the media for the last several days, clearly shying away from demands that he state his stand clearly on the bifurcation of the State.

Those who closely follow the functioning of the TDP know that the backroom boys of the TDP daily compute the space given to the party in the media.

Sometimes they complain that the Congress got 50 cm coverage in a particular paper and the TDP only 49 cm, or that a particular channel showed TDP's press meet for 4 minutes and 59 seconds whereas the Congress got a full five-minutes coverage.

But in these difficult times when not being seen or heard from would be advantageous it is no wonder that Naidu has made just three media appearances, and that too not on the T problem as such but to condemn the attack on party MLAs or to demand a CBI probe into the controversy surrounding the Raj Bhavan.

On the burning question of bifurcation, Naidu has merely said that he had given a freehand to party leaders to choose their course of action in their respective regions.

PCC president D Srinivas too has not voiced opinions with candour, beyond saying that the ``prevailing hostile situation was not good''. He has, instead, tried to busy himself in the Congress' membership drive.

As for PRP president Chiranjeevi, following his flip-flop it is doubtful that he will now be able to move in the T-region at all.

And at Kukatpally here, Telangana agitators disturbed the meeting of the Lok Satta Party (LSP) intended to take the pulse of the people. Party bosses are taking the backseat for now and it is the people who are in the position of leadership.

Says a TDP activist from Telangana: ``Our president has given us a free hand to select our course of action locally, in accordance with popular sentiment.'' So it does seem that in a democracy there are times when the people are supreme after all.

vvbalakrishna@expressbuzz.com

Thursday, 17 December 2009

Don’t play dirty tricks here, Babu warns YSR

VV Balakrishna
4/22/2009 3:02:00 AM IST
KUPPAM: Alleging that the Congress was resorting to all kinds of irregularities in his native Kuppam Assembly constituency, Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu today gave a stern waring to Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy not to play disruptive politics in Kuppam.
Naidu, for the first time in 20 years, participated in an election meeting in Kuppam today to give moral support to his party workers who complained to him about `goondaism’ of Congress.
Naidu, along with actor Balakrishna, participated in an election rally in the town, which turned out to be a virtual show of strength of the TDP.
An emotionally-charged Naidu wanted Kuppam voters to reject the `money, silver ornaments, liquor’ offered by rivals and support him for a model Kuppam to develop and improvement of conditions in the State.
``Congress leaders are terrorising people in Kuppam.
They even stocked huge quantities of liquor bottles,’’ Naidu alleged. ``Brothers, be vigilant for two more days. Do not fall prey to the decpetive policies of Congress,’’ Naidu appealed to voters.
``I am addressing an election meeting for the first time in Kuppam. Though you requested me to concentrate on other segments I have come here to give moral support to you. The Congress is trying to reduce the polling percentage in the segment. Ensure a huge turnout on the polling day and tell the Congress that that we will protect democracy in Kuppam. Do not be scared of Congress divisive politics. I will protect your lives,’’ Naidu said.
He also appealed to voters to send him to the Assembly for the fifth time with a huge majority. ``I contested from Kuppam for the first time in 1989. The winning margin has been increasing in election after election. Ensure a bigger victory margin this time,’’ he urged the voters.
Naidu addressing an election meeting in Kuppam assumed significance as the Congress has steadily gained ground in the segment in the last five years. ``In earlier elections, no one was seen holding a Congress flag in the segment. But this time Congress leaders are even organising rallies,’’ Ramesh, a local, said.
While the Congress claims that the developmental schemes helped the party improve its position in the segment, TDP workers allege that the Congress is resorting to all sorts of machinations like threatening TDP workers and foisting cases on them.
In the wake of these allegations, Naidu said at the meeting: ``Kuppam voters stand for honesty. The need of police intervention did not arise in the last 20 years. But Rajasekhara Reddy is nursing a grudge against Kuppam voters.
I told Rajasekhara Reddy in the Assembly that if he had any grudge against me, settle scores with me but do not target the Kuppam people and spoil the harmonious atmoshphere there,’’ Naidu said.
``Be careful about Congress leaders. If TDP activists retaliated, no Congress leader would remain in Kuppam,’’ TDP chief warned.
``I never bore grudge against the chief minister’s constituency, Pulivendula.
But whenever Congress came to power in the State they neglected Kuppam,’’ Naidu said and assured to compensate that loss in the next five years.
``I will tour Kuppam first as chief minister. The election is just a formality, the Grand Alliance is all set to win the elections,’’ he said drawing a loud applause.
He alleged that deletion of V Kota mandal from the Kuppam segment was the handiwork of the Congress as it wanted to reduce his victory margin in Kuppam segment and win the Chittoor Lok Sabha seat.
Alleging that the zilla parishad chairman, who had a only a scooter, amassed crores of rupees, Naidu said Rajasekhara Reddy made around 3,000 such leaders in the State by encouraging corruption.
The TDP, if voted to power, would unearth all the ill-gotten wealth of Congress leaders including Rajasekhara Reddy, he said.
Balakrishna and TDP Chittoor Lok Sabha candidate N Sivaprasad also spoke.
vvbalakrishna@epmltd.com

TDP to launch T-unit

Express News Service
First Published : 15 Dec 2009 03:15:00 AM IST
Last Updated :

HYDERABAD: Slowly recovering from the shock administered by the UPA Government, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu resurrected and adopted a two-pronged strategy.

He is now ready with a `perfect’ script to please the people of both the Telangana and the Andhra regions. Simultaneous movements will be started in both the regions for T and for United Andhra.

As per the script, the TDP will start Telangana unit of the party - Telangana TDP (TTDP) or Telangana Desam Party (TDP). As a prelude to this, the party will constitute a five-member coordination committee for T-region.

The committee, which will be announced in a day or two, have seniors Nagam Janardhan Reddy, E Dayakar Rao, M Narasimhulu, L Ramana and Ramesh Rathod. The Telangana face of the TDP will be again T Devender Goud, who returned to the partyfold from the PRP. Goud will tour extensively in the T-region by using his BC card, espouse T-sentiment among the party cadre and see that all the people rally behind the party.

Meanwhile, Telangana TDP MLAs, who met in the lobbies of the Assembly, have decided to request Naidu to start the Telangana unit of the party.

They demanded that the Centre should initiate the process for Telangana as per its commitment. At a separate meeting in the lobbies of the Assembly, TDP MLAs from Andhra and Rayalaseema decided to continue their agitation for Samaikya Andhra State.

Party MLA P Keshav said that all the ministers and Congress MPs should resign to their posts in support of United Andhra. Asked whether the TDP leaders were also demanding Kuppam MLA N Chandrababu Naidu’s (TDP chief) resignation, Keshav shot back: ``Do not insult our United Andhra statehood movement’’. He, however, said that they spared party presidents and do not press for their resignations.

When asked about TDP Politburo’s resolution that favoured T-state, Keshav said that it would be dynamic situation in politics. “The political situation is changing every minute and the party will take decisions accordingly,’’ he added. “We are acting as per the wishes of the people of Andhra and Rayalaseema,’’ he said.

The Andhra TDP MLAs said that they would intensify their movement by blocking the National Highways.

Monday, 14 December 2009

PARADOX : T-people united on separation, Andhras divided on unity!

Vasanta, Harsha chant `Jai Andhra'

Express News Service
Hyderabad, December 13

WHILE the people of Telangana, cutting across party lines, are united in
favour of separation, the Andhras seem divided on integration.
Telangana leaders of all parties, except the CPM, are speaking in voice and
in favour of separate Telangana. But, their brethren in Andhra and
Rayalaseema are divided on the division of the State. MLAs from Andhra and
Rayalaseema have resigned in protest against Union Home Minister
Chidambaram's statement. But, other leaders and people
are expressing divergent views on the statehood.
APCOB chairman Vasanta Nageswara Rao, who hails from Krishna district,
is demanding separate Andhra. He resigned as APCOB chairman,
but the resignation is yet to be accepted. Nageswara Rao said that it was
better to separate as brothers rather than face insult from the brothers in
Telangana.
Another Congress leader and MP from Amalapuram, Harsha Kumar, is also
demanding separate Andhra. He is of the opinion that the interests of Malas
will be protected in a separate State and there will be no problem of
categorisation of SCs into four groups.
Speaking to Express today, Vasanta Nageswara Rao said
that he, along with others, were committed to the `Jai Andhra' slogan. He
said that he would launch an agitation next week. He claimed that there
were seveal people in Andhra who were supporting his argument. He demanded
that the Centre announce a speical package for Andhra for building
a capital city and other developments after the State's division. He
also demanded that the Centre bear all the expenditure for
construction of the Polavaram project.

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.

All are willing to take back resignations: DS


First Published : 14 Dec 2009 12:34:47 PM IST

HYDERABAD: Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president D Srinivas

has called upon all Congress MLAs and ministers from the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions to withdraw their resignations and said there will be no constitutional crisis in the State. Speaking to reporters here today, he said that he had spoken with all the MLAs and ministers who resigned and urged them to withdraw their resignations. ``All of them are willing to withdraw their resignations,’’ the PCC chief said. Their grievances (those who resigned) were

brought to the notice of the party high command,’’ he said and appealed to the

Andhra leaders not to precipitate the crisis. Srinivas appealed to the party MLAs not to create problems to AICC president Sonia Gandhi and not to

push the party into a crisis. All Congress MLAs and leaders were ``healthy thinking’’ people and did not give trouble to anyone. If any Congress

leader had doubts over the statement issued by Chidambaram, it was better for

him to directly write to Chidambaram, Srinivas remarked. On former minister M

Buddha Prasad’s allegation that he was acting as a Telangana PCC president, Srinivas said that as a PCC chief he belonged to all regions. ``I have best friends from Andhra and Rayalaseema. For that matter Buddha Prasad too is my close friend,’’ the PCC chief said. He, however, said that he had some personal views as he too was born in a region.