Telugu Desam supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is planning to be the national face of the anti-Modi team, representing the regional parties. Though this role was planned initially by Telangana Rastra Samiti president and Telangana chief minister Chandrasekhar Rao, the mantle fell on Chandrababu Naidu at the Bengaluru conclave.
Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Benerji had given this task to Chandrababu Naidu to rally the regional parties together, where Chandrasekhar Rao was absent. The TRS chief, who wanted to build the third front or secular front with the regional parties as an alternative to the NDA and UPA, skipped this Bengaluru meet, only to avoid coming face to face with Sonia Gandhi. He felt it would be embarrassing for him to meet Sonia to whom he had promised to merge his TRS with the Congress if Telangana is given. Trusting him and several other Congress leaders Sonia had gone against all odds and bifurcated the State.
As promised, Chandrasekhar Rao did not merge his party and the Congress could not win either Telangana or Andhra Pradesh. It might take a couple of elections for Congress to come back to power in Telangana, but it would require a couple of decades for the party to win in Andhra Pradesh. This is what Chandrasekhar Rao had done to the Congress and for which he could not face Sonia Gandhi.
His absence at Bengaluru had cost him dearly as Chandrababu Naidu had taken advantage of the situation. The three-day annual Mahanadu of the TDP is set to give him the national face and project him as challenger of the mighty Narendra Modi, who is sure of second term for him. Though Chandrababu Naidu is not ready to leave the State for a national role, it is equally important for him to emerge as challenger to Modi if not alternative.
The Telugu Desam Party had carefully drafted its political resolutions where it is set to hit Narendra Modi hard at the national level and emphasise Chandrababu Naidu’s role for the State. The election is crucial for Chandrababu Naidu as he had to promote his son Lokesh as his successor or else the young leader would have to sit in Opposition all through. Thus this Mahanadu is very important for the TDP and Chandrababu Naidu where he would have to draft his strategy to challenge Modi on one side and lead his party to victory in the State on the other.
