TDP battle ready, to release candidate's names soon: Babu

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday expressed confidence that his party would take the fight for the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies to the camp of former MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s ‘YSR Congress Party,’  in the ensuing by-elections.

Voting for the by-elections is scheduled to take place on May 8.

Talking to media persons at the NTR Trust Bhavan, Mr Naidu stated that TDP would announce its candidates within the next two days after discussing the possible names with leaders concerned.

The former chief minister also lashed out at the former Kadapa MP and alleged that Mr Jaganmohan Reddy had launched the YSR Congress Party only with an aim to become Chief Minister of the state and not to address the people’s problems.

Stating that YSR Congress Party has no agenda and nor any definite policies on specific issues, the TDP chief stated that such parties which lack a ideology would not survive for a long time. He also said that the people of the state are the best judges and they would surely question whether voting for such a party would benefit them.

The former chief minister also said that Mr Jaganmohan Reddy would wind up his party and go back into the Congress fold if the Income Tax Department issues notices against him. He would also merge his party with the Congress party if any significant post is offered to him, Mr Naidu predicted. “Jagan would definitely throw his principles to wind and join the Congress party,” he added.

Alleging that Mr Jaganmohan Reddy has distributed money to the tune of Rs 15 lakh to each voter in the recent Legislative Council elections, Mr Naidu said that TDP would lodge a complaint in this regard with the Election Commission seeking action against the former MP. “We will take our fight against him to the National level,” the TDP chief stated.

The former chief minister also predicted that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao would merge his party with Congress soon.

Mr Naidu also alleged that the state government has totally failed to implement the promises made in its election manifesto; nine hour power supply and 30 kg rice to people living below the poverty line.

Condemning the state government ‘lopsided policies’, he said that these policies were responsible for grim power situation in the state. Mr Naidu stated that his party would launch agitation in front of village sub-stations on April 6 and April 7, highlight the government’s failures.

He said the party would stage protests with lanterns in the urban centres on the same day.

The power bodies; APTRANSCO and APGENCO; worked well during the TDP rule due to reforms introduced by it, Mr Naidu claimed. He added that these bodies were now ‘almost completely’ defunct due to lack of proper administration.

The former chief minister also said that the TDP would not shy away from seeking the support of other parties in fighting for people’s issues.