Elections in first phase only to push me into a crisis:AP CM

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu Wednesday alleged that elections in Andhra Pradesh were scheduled in the first phase on April 11 only to push him into a crisis.

"They thought I will be unprepared if less time is given for the elections so that I cannot face it and that it is an advantage for them.

They wanted to push me into a crisis but I converted it into an opportunity," the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief told a press conference here, the first after the election schedule was announced on Sunday.

Indirectly attacking the Centre for the poll schedule, the Chief Minister said they wanted to beat him by giving little time.

"But you have helped me get benefit out of it. I am very happy for that," he added.

Replying to a question on the prospective alliance of parties at the national level, Naidu said a meeting of non-BJP parties would be held in New Delhi Friday to discuss the issue.

"At the national level, we all thought as a coalition to work for the future of the country. But there are compulsions in different states. There is a national compulsion and there is a state-specific compulsion politically.

We will weigh this and discuss this at our New Delhi meeting to reach an understanding," the TDP chief said.

The parties would discuss how to cooperate with each other pre-election and post-election and draft an action plan accordingly, he added.

Over 3.71 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise for electing 25 Lok Sabha members and 175 members of the Andhra Pradesh state assembly in the polls, the first after the state was bifurcated to create Telangana in 2014.

Asked about the TDPs fate in neighbouring Telangana, where Lok Sabha elections are scheduled for April 11, Naidu said the decision on whether or not to contest the polls was left to the party state unit.

"My priority is AP. We have reached the crossroads. Now, TDPs victory is a historic necessity or else, we will face a lot of problems," he said.

The TDP was decimated in the Telangana Assembly elections in December last, which it fought in alliance with the Congress, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti.

The TDP won only two Assembly seats but one legislator has already crossed over to the ruling TRS.