Vijayawada: The Telugu Desam which had all but shut shop in Telangana is all set to revive the party unit and has been wooing several of its leaders, who had migrated to other political outfits, back to the party fold.
Sources told Deccan Chronicle that party supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu had last month held a meeting with former MLC Kasani Gyaneshwar and proposed that he take over the party mantle in Telangana. Gyaneshwar, hailing from the Mudiraj community, is among the richest politicians in the state and has made it big through real estate.
Sources said the BJP and the TRS had also approached Gyaneshwar who is currently with the Mudiraj Sabha.
A top-rung TD leader confirmed that Naidu was very keen on reviving the party in Telangana particularly after Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao launched the Bharat Rashtra Samiti. Sources said Naidu was of the strong opinion that Rao had left the arena open to even parties like TD by losing the Telangana identity with the BRS. “Now he (KCR) can’t play the regional sentiment,” the leader pointed out.
Sources said the TD was also of the view that there was a high chance of a fractured mandate in Telangana in the 2023 Assembly polls. The TD wants to focus on 20-30 Assembly segments and believes that winning even 10 seats will put it in advantageous position.
According to party insiders, a section of BJP leaders who had earlier enjoyed good rapport with Naidu was not averse to a repeat of the 2014 alliance in Telangana, which had succeeded in winning 20 seats including 15 by the TD. “It’s too early to talk on alliances but we are very keen on rebuilding the party,” a top TD leader said.
Meanwhile Naidu visited the party office at NTR Trust Bhavan in Hyderabad and met Telangana unit leaders and assured them that he wold frequently visit the party office and step up activities in Telangana.
