Naidu’s strategic moves to reap benefits for AP

Amaravati: For the leaders of the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, Thursday was a red-letter day.

Their leader once again was on national firmament, trying to cobble up a coalition of all anti-BJP forces to throw out the NDA for good after the 2019 elections.

They want Naidu to succeed in the mission as it would make the TDP’s future thorn-free.

Their optimism is not far-fetched since they have not yet forgotten the kind of king-maker role that Naidu had played in 1996 by being the convenor of the United Front, installing IK Gujral as prime minister of the country.

The Telugu Desam workers do not feel odd or embarrassed when Naidu and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were seen walking side by side and exchanging niceties.

Naidu described his joining of forces with Rahul as one which he had to do under “democratic compulsion” to rid the nation of the saffron party, which according to Naidu, had become a threat to democracy.

Naidu has already built up a lather of anti-BJP sentiment in the state expecting it to polarise people on his side though the saffron party’s existence in AP is very little.

After converting denial of special category status (SCS) as a weapon to foment hatred against the BJP, he has moved closer to the Congress which also wants to see the last of the saffron party.

The TDP workers feel that this would act as an additional factor in uniting the people against the BJP which would help the yellow party win the elections as the people would prefer Naidu to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy who is a little reticent in attacking the BJP unlike Naidu.

The TDP may have to reciprocate the Congress gesture of allowing it to take the lead in forming a coalition at national level and offering a respectable number of seats in Telangana as part of alliance but it is not worrying much over the problem.

This is on account of the fact that the Congress has died a natural death long ago in Andhra Pradesh and it is waiting for an alliance with the TDP to acquire some life the way the TDP was looking to Congress in Telangana.

Since the Congress is not much of a force, the TDP would not have to part with many seats and when it comes to explaining to people why it had joined hands with its arch rival, it has its script ready – it has moved closer to the Congress at national level since the BJP which had done incalculable harm to the people of AP should be demolished and there was no other way than to be part of a national coalition in which the Congress is the main player.

Says MP Nimmala Kistappa: “Naidu is playing a decisive role at national level as democracy is imperiled in the country. Naidu went to Delhi not because Akhilesh Yadav invited him there.

It was because of the need for someone to take the role of bringing all opposition parties together to a wage war against the BJP.”