For Chandrababu Naidu, 2024 election is the make-or-break election. If he fails to win this election, not just his political fate would be sealed, but also Lokesh Babu’s fate too would be sealed. The party too could melt away due to the lack of a winnable leadership. Hence, he is trying every trick in the trade to ensure that he gets the basics right and he picks the right candidate.

If sources are to be believed, Chandrababu Naidu is now planning to decide the candidates for various constituencies based on special surveys. He has already commissioned a survey to identify the winning horses. This is contrary to Chandrababu’s normal practice. Since 1999, he has personally picked the candidates on the basis of his assessment of the leaders. Though there were screening committees, they did not have any real power. But this time around, he is resorting to surveys.

But, things have changed after the 2019 elections. The party was badly mauled in the election and this had a deeply demoralizing effect on the party. After the crushing defeat, several traditionally pro-TDP groups and communities have moved away from the TDP. Also, most of the party leaders are aged and jaded. Hence Chandrababu Naidu wants a generational shift in the party.

Sources say that he is commissioning surveys across the state. They say that at least three surveys are being done by three separate agencies. One of the agencies is led by former Prashant Kishor associate Robin Sharma. Based on the reports from these three survey agencies, Chandrababu would take a decision on the candidates, sources reveal.