Fair-weather friends are with you when everything is hunky dory. But they vanish as fast as the fleeting clouds in times of adversity. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu must be learning this lesson the hard way. All those leaders who were with him all these days, have now disappeared. Some of the seemingly loyal followers are now looking the other way.

Recently, he organised a three-hour-long Sadhana Deeksha, the first ever by Chandrababu after the Covid hit us. He wanted to breathe some energy into the TDP cadres, who are feeling low especially after the recent reversals in Tirupati, panchayat and civic body polls. The programme was aimed at holding the government to account over covid compensation payment. Chandrababu himself plunged into action and joined the protest at the party headquarters in AP. The idea was to have such protests in all the 175 assembly constituencies.

However, in reality, it was found that many of those who enjoyed power all these days, were absent at the dharna sites. In Chittoor, Chandrababu’s home turf, several leaders stayed away from the dharna. For instance In Palamner, former minister Amarnath Reddy was absent. Ditto with Bojjala Sudhir Reddy in Srikalahasti. In other places, the leaders did come. But, they scooted off once the mediapersons clicked pictures of the dharna. The response of the leaders was lukewarm in Gangadhara Nellore, Chandragiri, Punganuru and even in Kuppam.

Even in Krishna district, considered a party citadel, the response has been poor. None of the leaders were seen in action. It was left to low-level party cadres to do the honours. Those who fought and lost the 2019 elections were completely inactive. No leader worth the name was seen at the dharna sites. A section of the party feels that it is time the party chief shed these ‘dead-weights’ and focus on young blood, which is willing to fight it out.