TDP set to expand in other States

Hyderabad: Chief Minister N Chandrababu has to strike a balance between developing the residual Andhra Pradesh and protecting his flock in Telangana where the TRS is poaching its leaders and cadre.

Undeterred by the efforts of TRS, the TDP supremo assured party leaders at the extended meeting in Vijayawada on Thursday that he would expand the party in other states. “TDP will establish and expand in other states to become a national party,” he said.

Stating that the TDP has a strong presence in Telangana which was evident from the 15 seats it won, Chandrababu Naidu gave full credit for this victory to the strength of its leaders and cadre who withstood the wave of sentiment. BJP, TDP’s alliance partner, won another five seats. The TRS, which felt that this alliance could pose a major threat to it, was trying to lure some the TDP legislators into its fold. It had been alleging that the AP government was not cooperating though the reality was that it was TRS which was violating the provisions of AP State Reorganisation Act. “The TDP will not be cowed down by such attempts as the cadre had withstood much more serious onslaughts,” Naidu said.