After years of political dormancy in Telangana, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is signaling attempts at a revival. With a focus on rekindling its base among traditional supporters, TDP aims to re-establish its relevance ahead of upcoming elections. Will this strategy help it regain political ground in the region?
Political strategist Prashant Kishor and his team have been engaging with top leadership.
The Telugu Desam Party is trying to regain its past glory in Telangana and is currently engaged in mapping a clear strategy.
The party won a landslide victory in Andhra Pradesh, teaming up with the Jana Sena and the BJP. It now wants to regain Telangana, the paradise it lost consequent to the division of the state in 2014.
Prashanth Kishor and Robbin Sharrma of political strategy company Show Time conferred with TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu two days ago; they met also the chief minister’s son and IT minister Nara Lokesh.
It is reported that Prashanth Kishor and Robbin Sharrma suggested a strategy for Telangana.
Sources said the plan is to be implemented in Telangana state after Sankranti.
Having enrolled 80 lakh members in the party, TDP wishes to recapture lost political ground in Telangana. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi or BRS (earlier known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi) won assembly elections in the state in 2014 at TDP’s cost.
The last time the TDP was in power in the united Andhra Pradesh was in 2009-2004.
After that, it remained a major force till it was pushed out of Telangana by TRS in 2014, consequent to the formation of Telangana state.
Beyond Telugu states
The party has already begun its efforts to rekindle the party apparatus in Bengaluru and in some places in Tamil Nadu where the Telugu population is sizeable.
The party in the past tried to increase its footprint but retraced its steps when it encountered resistance to its name, Telugu Desam.
Now that it is a major force in Andhra Pradesh, it wants to spread its wings in other southern states. Making a foray into Telangana is part of this strategy.
The TDP is keen on striking the iron when it is hot in Telangana, in the wake of the morale of the BRS party cadres being at its lowest ebb following the issue of an FIR by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) against party working president K T Rama Rao in the formula E-Race case.
A politburo member of the TDP said: “The BRS has outlived its utility in Telangana. After its dictatorial rule for 10 years in Telangana, the people rejected it. They had reposed faith in KCR after the bifurcation of the state in 2014 but in the last election, they jettisoned the party. The Congress, which came to power in the last election, is now plagued with groups. Though the BJP is strong across the country, it is suffering from a leadership vacuum in Telangana. This allows space for another party to grow in Telangana. We believe it is the right time for the TDP to stage a comeback in Telangana. Our plan will begin after Sankranti.”
The TDP believes that the BRS is on its last legs.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is bearing down on the BRS every day. The party cadres remain demoralised. Several MLAs of the BRS are contemplating joining the Congress. Already, 10 MLAs had joined the grand old party, the senior member of the TDP said.
Districts in focus
The party is focusing on Khammam and Nizamabad districts where its roots remain strong even now.
In these two districts, the Andhras are in substantial numbers.
Ever since the party was founded by the late NT Rama Rao, it has had a good following in the Khammam district.
IT Minister Lokesh has seized on the issue and is giving the final touches to the strategy. About three to four leaders are working on the finer details of the strategy at the TDP office in Mangalagiri, Guntur district.
Social media is abuzz with speculation that the party will experiment with its strategy in the Mahbubnagar district.
In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the party is reportedly gaining strength.
The Port Blair municipality is headed by TDP chairperson S Selvi with the support of the BJP.
“To have a TDP leader as the chairperson of a municipality outside Andhra Pradesh is cause for us to feel proud,” the senior TDP leader said. #hydkhabar
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Faraaz Mohammed 
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