It was the dominating role of Lokesh, son of Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, that triggered an exodus of TDP leaders from Telangana to the TRS, sources in the party claimed.
According to them, Naidu has unofficially crowned Lokesh as the man in-charge of party affairs in Telangana.
“The sudden coronation shocked senior Telangana TDP leaders including MLAs Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Teegala Krishna Reddy and Dharma Reddy who left the party to associate with the ruling TRS.“ According to them, many more TDP leaders from the region would soon migrate to the pink party .
The sources said that senior leaders were upset and hurt over the manner in which Lokesh approached his new responsibility.
“He told them that they should hold one press conference every day to counter the TRS. Leaders like Srinivas Yadav, who has been a legislator for some time and has a good following in the Greater Hyderabad region, and Krishna Reddy, who has been a mayor, did not take kindly to the diktat of Lokesh. Besides, they were hanging on in the hope that Naidu would give them the final say in Telangana TDP. But with Lokesh entering the picture, their hopes have receded,“ said the sources.
In fact, more number of MLAs and MLCs from the Telangana TDP are now looking towards the TRS as they are uncertain about their future in the party under Lokesh's leadership.
MLAs including Manchireddy Kishan Reddy , R Krishnaiah and Prakash Goud are said to be in two minds about their future.
“Except for Revanth Reddy, not many of the senior leaders from Telangana are coming to NTR Trust Bhavan these days. The reason is simple. When one senior MLA came to see Lokesh, he was told to take an appointment and wait for his turn. This type of treatment has damaged the confidence of the cadre,“ said a senior leader.
Without any experience in party building, Lokesh is now banking on his own team of youngsters to rebuild the TDP in Telangana. But with his father backing him, Telangana TDP leaders feel they have no chance of getting their grievances heard and are of the view that it is better to seek their political fortunes elsewhere.
“We have been the backbone of the TDP in Telangana. Let us see how Lokesh will take forward the party in our absence,“ said one leader who is on his way out.
Meanwhile, Lokesh's aides say that it was these leaders who benefitted by being in the TDP and not the other way around, and expressed confidence that Naidu's son would revive the party in Telangana much before GHMC elections are held sometime next year.
Source: TimesOfIndia
