Telugu Desam leaders rush to join TRS

The wheel has come a full circle for N Chandrababu Naidu. Contrary to the pre-election scenario, scores of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) functionaries, though not from the top rung yet, have decided to join the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) protesting against Naidu's "integrationist" posture. This is an indication that Naidu's strong grip on the TDP is weakening.

A group of TDP men, some of them with a long association with the party, are joining the TRS on 24 June, the day after the Cabinet expansion, which was arranged exclusively for the induction of TRS ministers. Once the TRS gets ministerial berths it is expected that it will attract more and more people from the TDP into its fold.

Apart from making a cliched remark that those leaving the party have no mass base and were acting only on selfish motives, TDP leaders have only insisted that this was only a TRS engineered drama. Despite the posturing by the TDP leaders, it is sweet revenge for TRS supremo K Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR).

Some disgruntled leaders of TRS, most of them who had failed to get party tickets in the assembly elections, had earlier targeted KCR during the elections and called him a 'Telangana Betrayer' before joining the TDP.

Naidu has utilised the internal rumblings in the TRS over ticket allotment in the best possible manner to tarnish the image of TRS, especially its leader KCR. KCR who had blamed Naidu for the 'tamasha' is paying the TDP back in the same coin.

People switching loyalties whenever a party is out of power is not uncommon. But the latest development has some difference along with many commonalties. Those who have decided to join the TRS too were not only denied party tickets by Naidu but their hold on the party in their respective districts is also limited.

Yet, the fact that the group includes two former MPs and a couple of former MLAs and several representatives from local bodies from half a dozen districts could well prove an embarrassment to Naidu.

Coming out of his initial complacency Naidu is now understood to have pressed the services of some seniors like Yerraballi Dayakar Rao of Warngal district to restrain leaders, especially at lower levels who might follow suit. According to sources, the TRS leadership is systematically targeting lower level TDP leaders.

The TRS has a grand design of establishing itself as a full fledged alternative to the Congress by destroying the TDP. Sources say itis only the beginning, and many more TDP men would migrate to TRS in a month or so.

If it succeeds in poaching sulking TDP members the TDP would considerably be weakened in Telangana by the time of local body elections due in 2005.

Going just by the stature and the number of the TDP leaders who joined the TRS, the latest development many not be that significant but it has exposed the weakness in Naidu's leadership.

When Naidu was in power, even those who criticised him on occasions like S V Subba Reddy did not dare to come out of the party or rally others in the party against Naidu. But now, some lower level leaders who did not even dare to think about such a rebellion against Naidu for his 'United Andhra' plank earlier, are taking the lead while some seniors are assessing the pros and cons.

Naidu used to control the party through the twin factors of power and fear and not by exercising any moral authority over the leaders or through any democratic means. He built checks and balances in the party in such a way that every leader, right from a senior minister in his cabinet to an MLA down below always felt insecure and thus fell in line.

Except personal convenience, strong loyalties towards its leader is also not a quality amongst the TDP. This has gone to such a level in the past nine years that Naidu and his party men enjoy no emotional bonding.

This could become the biggest liability for TDP as an opposition party, as the advantage of power is no more with Naidu to exercise control over the party cadre.

The TRS can easily offer lower slots in the party as it is still weak in many parts of Telangana. TDP men who enjoyed the privilege of being in power for quite a long period could fall an easy prey to such temptations.