Do-or-die battle for TD chief
Faced with the prospect of mass desertions from the TD in case the party performs poorly in the forthcoming byelections, Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu is looking to pull out all the aces up his sleeves to win at least some seats. Mr Naidu's determination to prove the various pre-poll surveys that give a slight advantage to the YSR Congress wrong can be gauged by the fact that he has already hit the road from Tirupati for the first phase of campaigning. An adverse result will make Mr Naidu’s worst fears of mass desertions from the party true.
The TD chief hopes to wrest the slight ‘edge’ from the YSR Congress and his party’s own survey reports indicate fairly good chances in Payakaraopeta, Polavaram, Pratipadu, Macherla, Anantapur, Rayadurg, Rayachoti and Yemmiganur. “Though the party is trying to put its best in all the Assembly constituencies going to poll, reports indicate a fairly strong base for the TD in eight segments,” a TD leader said.
The dismal showing in the recent byelections to six Assembly constitutencies in Telangana and one in Kovur left the party shell-shocked and a repeat could lead to party leaders shifting loyalities. Sources in the TD said that Mr Naidu is burning the midnight lamp to draw his strategy in every constituency to take on YSR Congress and Congress. Besides roping in services of all senior leaders, Mr Naidu also plans to play the caste card to capture the split votes in the party's favour, say sources.
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