CM Naidu's annual bash overshadowed by Telangana disaster

Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party is currently holding for a three-day extravaganza in Tirupati. The annual general body meeting, named Mahanadu, is always held around the birthday of founder-president NT Ramarao - April 27. This gathering of the party’s active workers is known for its pomp, plentiful food, and unusual demonstrations of loyalty to the party supremo. About 40,000 leaders are expected to attend the bash.

However, this year’s celebrations are marred by setbacks. Between the last Mahanadu held at Vijayawada in 2015 and now, the TDP’s only gain has been in admitting opposition YSRC MLAs in a big way. So far, the party has accepted 17 MLAs from the opposition party unmindful of the criticism against the defections by its ally, the BJP. 

In the last Mahanadu, the party declared itself a national party and Naidu was elected National President of the party.  A national executive body was also announced with Lokesh Naidu (Naidu’s son) as national general secretary. But, instead of expanding to new territories, the party started losing its grip even over neighbouring Telangana. 

On the political side, the TDP had been trounced in every election they have fought in Telangana. In all the by-polls held in the past two years, the party has forfeited its deposits. The people of Hyderabad also rejected the party in the recently held Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections. 

Losing the Hyderabad municipal election is seen as the end of TDP’s chapter in Telangana since it is the city that Naidu used to claim that he transformed into a “Hi-tech city”.

Another major setback, resulting in the loss of face for the party and a series of defeats in polls, was Naidu’s alleged involvement in the note-for-vote case. The scandal, in which the TDP attempted to buy MLA votes for MLC elections, was exposed by Telangana's CID via a sting operation. During the interrogations of the accused, Naidu’s role was revealed, which led to the filing of a case against Naidu by the CID. 

This scandal added to the unusual tension between the two chief ministers, Naidu and his Telangana counterpart KCR. KCR’s campaign against Naidu made him unpopular in Telangana. In fact, it is commonly understood that Naidu decided to shift the capital immediately to Vijayawada because he believed Hyderabad was no longer 'safe' for him and his son. 

All these setbacks have triggered substantial defections of MLAs from the TDP to the TRS. So far in Telangana, the party has lost 13 of its 15 MLAs in the Assembly and many MLCs. Of the remaining three elected members, one MLA is expected to quit the party sometime after the Mahanadu. 

There seems to be little Naidu can do to prevent his party's demise in Telangana. For example, Telangana has started construction of two major projects on the river Krishna in Mahabubnagar district. This move is being opposed by farmers in eight districts of Andhra Pradesh.  

All political parties in the state want Naidu to oppose the projects vehemently. However, Naidu is unable to do so, because, his opposition may be taken as a pretext by many TDP leaders in Telangana to quit the party, alleging that Naidu was pursuing anti-Telangana policies.

Against such a background, the grand TDP meeting in Tirupati has taken a special meaning. 

It remains to be seen if Naidu, buckling under pressure from opposition parties, adopts a resolution against the Telangana projects or simply skirts the issue to buy peace with KCR.