On the second day of the ongoing Mahanadu (annual convention) of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was today reelected president of the party for the fifth consecutive term.
Eighteen sets of nominations were filed in Naidu's name, proposed and seconded by various delegates, demonstrating his complete control of the TDP. Naidu opened the Mahanadu to a clutch of populist announcements yesterday.
This was tacit acknowledgement that two terms as the chief minister had resulted in a mood of anti-incumbency against the TDP in the state.
Even before the Mahanadu began in Tirupati, 200,000 free cycles to college-going girls, 4 million latrines, white ration cards for 4 million families, self-employment assistance to 2 million youth and 2 million land site pattas were announced.
The TDP also announced that a free on-line agricultural portal for farmers for counselling on agricultural problems would be hosted by the state government.
The cherry on the sundae, however. was the Tali-Bottu scheme drawn from the Tamil Nadu government which involves free mangalsutras to specially selected families belonging to the lower castes. The mangalsutras, made out of 5 to 10 gram gold will be distributed to select families in the hinterland of Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu announced that it would be mandatory for college and school admission forms to have the mother's name on them. He ruled out any hike in power tariffs in the next one year and said the state government would continue its subsidy to Transco, Andhra Pradesh's power transmitting authority.
In his speeches, Naidu focused on two issues: the travails of those living in Telengana, which is agitating for a separate state (he promised a package of development measures for Telengana); and the fact that state elections due in October next year, would not be advanced.
Telengana is politically crucial for the TDP, which is strong in the Krishna region but weak in Telengana, a fact that is exploited by the Congress. He criticised Congress leader YS Rajashekhar Reddy , who has launched a padayatra all through the state for several weeks, though he did not mention M Satyanarayana Rao, the state Congress unit chief.
