Has the Telugu Desam Party wound up its shop in Telangana once and for all?
The answer is yes, if the party’s decision not to contest the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana is any indication. It is for the first time that the TDP has opted out of contest in any election in the Telugu states.
Though party president N Chandrababu Naidu has been boasting about continuing the party in both the Telugu states, as it has been founded for upholding the pride and self-respect of Telugu people wherever they are, the TDP has virtually lost its relevance in Telangana state.
A couple of days ago, the only TDP corporator in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation joined the TDP.
And the party lost senior leaders like Kuna Venkatesh Goud who contested on TDP ticket against Talasani Srinivasa Yadav in Sanathnagar and Arikela Narsa Reddy also joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.
Former TDP MP Nama Nageshwara Rao is contesting as TRS candidate from Khammam.
At present, the TDP has nominal presence in Telangana with one MLA – Mecha Nageshwar Rao (who is likely to jump to the TRS anytime) and a handful of leaders like L Ramana, E Peddi Reddy and Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy.
Interestingly, the party has its units, not just in Andhra and Telangana, but also in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and in Andaman and Nicobar islands, where the party candidates contest the elections at least to get some percentage of votes so as to sustain the TDP as a national party.
The TDP has no scope for any recovery in Telangana for now. It has to wait for another five years to contest the assembly elections again. But by then, one does not know whether any leader will be left in the party.
Even if the party struggles to win one or two seats again, there is no guarantee that they will remain in the TDP after election!
