In Andhra Pradesh politics a surprising development happened the other day in the ruling Telugu Desam Party. Party supremo and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had asked the rank and file of the party to be geared up for the early polls. He addressed the party coordination committee meeting and also held teleconference with the party leaders where he hinted at the early polls. This happened in the morning from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Hours later, Chandrababu Naidu’s son and Minister for Information Technology, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Nara Lokesh, told the media that the TDP was not looking at going for early election. “We were voted to power for five years and we would seek re-election only after completing the full term,” Lokesh told the media persons in the secretariat.
This contradicting statement between the father and the son is confusing and exposes lack of coordination in the ruling TDP for the first time. One wonders how Lokesh can give a statement contradicting Chandrababu Naidu’s statement on early polls.
There are indications that the BJP is actively considering the advantages of going for early polls, most likely in December this year along with the Assembly elections of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. There is also the possibility of Telangana advancing the elections and political circles smell similar position in Karnataka with the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) having more scratches in the relationship.
Given all these factors the ruling TDP chief is also actively considering the benefits of advancing the polls on the plank of Polavaram and Amaravati projects besides the BJP’s betrayal slogan on the special category status. The TDP is building up emotions on the bifurcation benefits and is planning for State wide agitations on issues like steel plant in Kadapa and railway zone in Visakhapatnam.
The TDP ranks in Rayalaseema region are already in the fighting mode on steel plant issue. Chandrababu Naidu had directed the party leaders from Uattarandhra to launch similar agitation in Visakhapatnam for railway zone. The leaders from Prakasam and Nellore districts would get into the fighting mode on Dugarajapatnam Port, while the Krishna and Guntur leaders will take up the Amaravati issue. The Godavari districts leaders were asked to take up Polavaram and Petro Chemical corridor issue. Thus Chandrababu Naidu is preparing the leaders to build up agitation and prepare the people for early polls.
