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Once the toast of the national media, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu is now grappling with toughest challenge in his political career in the wake of widespread desertions from his party and the disintegration of the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), of which he is the chief architect.
The proposed launch of a new party by Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi has created ripples in TDP with several of its frontline leaders leaving the party and expressing keenness to join hands with the popular actor.
At the national level, Naidu, who had played the role of a ‘Kingmaker’ during the United Front and NDA regimes, finds himself isolated as Samajwadi Party, the biggest partner of UNPA with 39 MPs, broke the ranks and supported the Congress-led UPA government over Indo-US nuclear deal.
As a result, the regional grouping now faces disintegration.
The rapidly changing political equations at the Centre have put Naidu in a tight spot.
After ending seven-year long alliance with BJP following electoral drubbing in 2004, Naidu has been warming up to the Left parties and was instrumental in bringing together anti- Congress and anti-BJP parties to forge UNPA, a conglomeration of regional parties.
The regional satrap, however, put up a brave front and asserted that UNPA would continue as a cohesive alternative.
“The UNPA was formed with five partners. If one of them (SP) breaks away, some other like-minded parties may join the formation. We will move forward despite setbacks,” Naidu said.
Naidu also remained unfazed by the exodus of senior leaders from the party in search of greener pastures.
“Those who have left the party are all self-seeking politicians. The party is above the individuals and it is the cadre which provides it the needed strength,” Naidu, who took over the reins of TDP in August 1995 after dethroning his father-in-law and former Chief Minister late N T Rama Rao, said.
The growing isolation at national level could not have come at a more inopportune time for Naidu as his 26-year old party is facing the toughest crisis in its history.
Several frontline leaders have parted ways with an intention to join Chiranjeevi’s party while some others have resigned to take up the movement for separate Telangana state.
The trouble started with the expulsion of senior leader and former minister from coastal Andhra region K Vidyadhar Rao for his public statements welcoming Chiranjeevi’s plans to join politics.
Rao’s exit triggered desertions from the party, a trend that Naidu has been unable to control.
The big blow came in the form of T Devender Goud, widely seen as number two in the party, who quit following differences over the Telangana statehood issue.
Goud, a former Minister and party’s Politburo member, is expected to launch a new party later this month to fight for separate Telangana state. Several Telangana protagonists within the party are likely to join hands with him.
Agencies
