T'gana polls: With an eye on TDP vote share, parties shower praise on Naidu

As the Telugu Desam Party decided not to contest the upcoming assembly polls in Telangana, political parties in the state are trying to woo the party's sympathisers by showering praise on TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu who was released from a prison recently.

Naidu walked out of the Rajamahendravaram central prison on October 31 after spending 53 days in connection with a case of alleged misappropriation of funds from the Skill Development Corporation, which resulted in a purported loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

The TDP, which polled over 3.5 per cent votes and won two seats in the 2018 assembly elections in Telangana, has decided not to contest in the polls for reasons unknown.

BRS Minister P Ajay Kumar who is contesting from Khammam, which is close to Andhra Pradesh border, had said he condemned Naidu's "illegal" arrest on September 14 itself.

Describing the former chief minister as a national leader, Kumar said the arrest is not fair in politics.

"My father is very close to Chandrababu. He used to enquire about him every day. We supported several rallies taken out in Khammam in favour of Naidu," the minister said, addressing a gathering cheering on the occasion of the TDP supremo's release from the prison.

Tummala Nageswara Rao, a Congress contestant from Khammam, welcoming the release said he was trained under Naidu.

He went a step ahead and reached the TDP office on October 31 and said he wanted to share the joy of Naidu's release from prison, with others.

"I am happy with your joy. With the same enthusiasm, I request you to support me for the next 30 days (until polls)," Rao said.

BRS contestant and outgoing legislator from Sathupalli in Khammam district also expressed happiness over Naidu's release.

TDP's Telangana president Kasani Gnaneswar on October 30, a day before Naidu was released from the prison, announced his resignation from the TDP following the party's decision not to contest in the polls in the state.

The TDP Telangana unit became headless after his exit.

When asked about the party's stand for the November 30 polls, a Telangana TDP leader said the party would decide in a few days the course of action to be followed.