TDP allying with Congress is 'mortgaging' party: NTR's widow

The move of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to ally with Congress was nothing but "mortgaging" the party, N Lakshmi Parvati, widow of its founder N T Rama Rao, alleged Tuesday.

Lakshmi Parvati, who is now with the YSR Congress, held a protest last Saturday at the 'Samadhi' of NTR, here.

She placed a letter addressed to NTR there.

She recalled a media interview given by NTR at the time of formation of TDP in 1982 in which he had reportedly said that he will never ever compromise with the Congress.

"He (NTR) said, my neck (head) will never bow before any leader. I will not bow my head. I will not be after alliances. Especially Congress, there will never be any compromise.

It will only be a fight," she told PTI quoting from the letter.

Parvati said late NTR had told her about this.

Her response comes in the wake of TDP allying with Congress for the December 7 Legislative Assembly elections in Telangana and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu meeting Rahul Gandhi as part of efforts to stich up an opposition alliance against the BJP.

Naidu has been critical of the BJP over the denial of Special Status to Andhra Pradesh and other alleged injustices meted out to the state.

Parvati hit out at the TDP for going against the principles for which the party was founded by N T Rama Rao.