TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu has begun “Operation Cleanup” in Kuppam. He has begun the process of building up a new second-level leadership in Kuppam. He has taken up the process of cleaning up the party in the all-important constituency especially after the defeat in the municipal elections in Kuppam.

Normally, leaders like Muniratnam, Chandrababu’s PA Manohar, MLC Srinivasulu and Gaurivani are seen by Chandrababu Naidu’s side whenever he visits Kuppam. But in his latest visit to Kuppam, these leaders were conspicuous by their absence. Internal sources say that Chandrababu himself asked them to keep off from the day-to-day TDP activities.

PA Manohar and Muniratnam had resigned soon after the election defeat. In fact, Manohar reportedly asked to be relieved immediately. But, he was asked by the party leadership to continue till alternative arrangements were made. But, the party consciously kept them away from Chandrababu Naidu. MLC G Srinivasulu has not been occupying the dais ever since the party defeat in Kuppam.

Sources say that Chandrababu is planning to make former minister Amarnath Reddy incharge of Kuppam constituency. Reddy, who is vastly experienced and has been known to be an expert at the grassroots level work would soon take over and build the party from the bottom in Kuppam.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday urged the Director General of Police Gautam Sawang to take stringent action against those involved in the brutal attack on his party leaders in Kuppam Assembly segment in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district.

In a letter to the DGP, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Naidu stressed the need for maintaining law and order to restore the people’s faith in democracy. He alleged that the henchmen of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) are targeting the opposition TDP leaders but there has been no action from the police there.

“It has been brought to my notice about the brutal and uncivilised attack by YSRCP henchmen on TDP leaders in Kuppam, on January 10, 2022. Two TDP leaders, Lokesh and Saravan were attacked in broad daylight by the YSRCP goons in Kuppam town. Not only were they attacked but also one of them, Lokesh, was prevented from going to the hospital to get treatment,” wrote Naidu, who represents Kuppam constituency.

The leader of opposition told the DGP: “Such cruel attacks were carried out by the YSRCP henchmen only to deter the TDP leaders from raising illegal mining issues. These attacks have not only eclipsed fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution but are also a blot on our democracy.”

Meanwhile, the TDP staged protests across the state on Tuesday, demanding that the YSRCP government bring down the prices of essential commodities.

The party leaders and workers took out rallies, demanding that the government reduce the prices of essential commodities, petrol, diesel and gas ahead of the Sankranti festival celebrations.

TDP general secretary Panchumarthy Anuradha said that the poor people in the state were unable to celebrate Sankranti considering the skyrocketing prices. The YSRCP leaders were enjoying feasts and entertainment with tainted money but not bothering about the hunger pangs of the common people, she said.

She said Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was still unable to give a convincing reply on why Anna Canteens were closed. These canteens were providing food at just Rs 5 during the TDP regime.

The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh on Monday condemned the defiling of a statue of its founder and former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao in Guntur district by the son of a local leader of ruling YSR Congress Party.

TDP president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu wrote to Director General of Police Gautam Sawang to take stringent action against the culprits to ensure that such acts of vandalism are not repeated.

Naidu alleged that Sunday’s incident in which Settipalli Koteswara Rao, son of YSRCP ZPTC member Settipalli Yalamanda, desecrated the statue of NTR in Durgi should be seen as a part of larger conspiracy to incite hatred among different sections of people. “If this continues, people may revolt against such incidents in the future. This has been the trend since June 2019 in Andhra Pradesh and ever since such hooligan incidents are repeatedly taking place,” wrote the TDP chief.

He alleged that such incidents were occurring at the behest of the ruling YSRCP leaders and the fact that the son of a YSRCP ZPTC member desecrating NTR’s statue is evidence enough. He said that the ruling party in its attempt to scuttle democracy is encouraging hooligans and patronising henchmen to desecrate, damage and destroy the statues of national leaders like NTR, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Potti Sriramulu and others.

Naidu said the police, instead of detaining the peacefully protesting people, should control such vandal acts from spreading further. He demanded that police conduct a comprehensive inquiry and ensure that the culprits are punished as per the law. Only a stringent action, without undue influence, from the police will deter the perpetrators and ensure that such vandal acts are not repeated in the future, he added.

TDP state president K. Atchannaidu also slammed the YSRCP government for not taking necessary action to prevent attacks on the statues of NTR and Ambedkar.

Atchannaidu asked whether the government would allow statues of only YSR (YS Rajasekhara Reddy) to exist in Andhra Pradesh while those of stalwarts would be defiled or removed. He said the attack on NTR’s statue amounted to hurting the sentiments of the Telugu people all over the world.

Meanwhile, police said they have arrested Koteswara Rao, who damaged the statue under the influence of alcohol

Guntur rural Superintendent of Police Vishal Gunni directed deputy superintendent of police to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report. The police said they will take strict action against the accused as per law.

For Chandrababu Naidu, 2024 election is the make-or-break election. If he fails to win this election, not just his political fate would be sealed, but also Lokesh Babu’s fate too would be sealed. The party too could melt away due to the lack of a winnable leadership. Hence, he is trying every trick in the trade to ensure that he gets the basics right and he picks the right candidate.

If sources are to be believed, Chandrababu Naidu is now planning to decide the candidates for various constituencies based on special surveys. He has already commissioned a survey to identify the winning horses. This is contrary to Chandrababu’s normal practice. Since 1999, he has personally picked the candidates on the basis of his assessment of the leaders. Though there were screening committees, they did not have any real power. But this time around, he is resorting to surveys.

But, things have changed after the 2019 elections. The party was badly mauled in the election and this had a deeply demoralizing effect on the party. After the crushing defeat, several traditionally pro-TDP groups and communities have moved away from the TDP. Also, most of the party leaders are aged and jaded. Hence Chandrababu Naidu wants a generational shift in the party.

Sources say that he is commissioning surveys across the state. They say that at least three surveys are being done by three separate agencies. One of the agencies is led by former Prashant Kishor associate Robin Sharma. Based on the reports from these three survey agencies, Chandrababu would take a decision on the candidates, sources reveal.

The general consensus in the TDP is that Nara Bhuvaneswari had conducted herself in a very dignified manner and spoke in a mature way. Her very public appearance, the party insiders feel, has an electrifying effect on masses, especially the women. The party feels that Chandrababu’s plans to weaponize his wife have surely yielded rich dividends.

The other day, Nara Bhuvaneswari made a rare public appearance and distributed largesse to 48 flood-affected families in Tirupati. The fact that she chose Tirupati, so close to NTR and the TDP, and used the platform of NTR Memorial Trust itself indicates that there is a careful planning behind her public appearance.

Using the platform of service, she referred to the women’s issue. She used the YSRCP’s abuse and slander against her in the assembly and sad that those who abused her would have to pay for their actions.

In a very clever move, she tried to turn the issue into a gender issue. She said that such atrocities were happening on the womenfolk across the state. She said the womenfolk are the bedrock of society. When asked about the slander by the YSRCP leaders, she said that it was a small issue and tried to brush it aside. However, by doing so, she had sought to show the contrast between the YSRCP and the TDP.

TDP sources feel that Chandrababu would use Bhuvaneswari more often given her impact. The YSRCP was in a defensive mode after her address to the media. Though Nani responded to her comments, his replies were quite tame and insipid.

Has the TDP begun the process of reinventing itself? It appears so. Party chief Chandrababu Naidu has launched the process of reenergising the party. A massive internal survey has reportedly begun to understand the lacunae, issues and problems within the party.

Chandrababu Naidu, who has realised that the party is moribund in several places in the state, has begun the process of talking to the leaders at various stages. He has chided several leaders for not putting up a fight in the local bodies. His latest survey in all the constituencies is aimed at examining if the local leaders are working hard to take the party’s messages to the people or not. It is also trying to analyse how serious they are in working for the party.

The survey is also studying who is backstabbing the party and who is working to confuse the party workers. It is based on this survey that Chandrababu Naidu has recently suspended two key leaders from the Nellore Municipal Corporation. Sources say that few more leaders from Nellore too would be suspended from the party.

Also, the survey is identifying future leaders of the party. Similarly, those would be best suited as the party candidates for the 2024 election too are being analysed, TDP sources say. Some seniors,however, are said to be unhappy with the survey as they have remained largely dormant during the last two years. But, Chandrababu is said to be determined to take the survey to the logical end.