Senior TDP leader Motkupalli Narasimhulu triggered a controversy on Thursday after he suggested that the Telangana unit of the party should “merge with the TRS”.
The leader was speaking to mediapersons on the occasion of the 22nd death anniversary of former Chief Minister and TDP founder NT Rama Rao.
“The TDP in Telangana is in dire straits today. I will also say that there is a need to come out of this trouble, so that we can go forward and save the party,” Narasimhulu said.
“People are saying that the TDP in Telangana is getting dissolved by the day, and this is troubling me. Even if one thinks about mitigating it, no one seems ready to salvage it. This also is painful to me,” the leader added.
Narasimhulu then went on to say, “Everyday people are speculating whether the TDP will or will not exist in the state, and I would like to bring this to the attention of (TDP chief and Andhra Chief Minister) Chandrababu Naidu. Both states should fare well. At such a time, when there is such speculation about the TDP, we should look at the TRS party.”
“Telangana Chief Minister KCR was also from our party only. Many ministers in the cabinet have worked under Naidu at one point...I think that Naidu and KCR should be like brothers and merge the Telangana unit of the TDP into the TRS,” he added.
KCR had contested and won as a TDP MLA four times before being appointed a minister in NTR’s cabinet. He had also served in Naidu’s cabinet in 1996, before resigning from the party in 2001 and taking up the cause of a separate Telangana state.
Meanwhile, arguing for the merger, Narasimhulu also said, “It is better than the shame of going extinct. Chandrababu Naidu will get a good name if he helps the alliance, as a person who helped his friend.”
“I’m not saying this with any political motive. No matter who the political leaders are, we should merge into the TRS, so that people in Telangana and Andhra can live peacefully and co-exist,” he concluded.
Narasimhulu’s comments come at a time when the TDP is severely battered in the state with the exit of A Revanth Reddy, who defected to the Congress last year.
The 47-year-old leader was the floor leader of the TDP in the State Assembly and his defection to the Congress was considered a major move in state politics.
The Naidu-led outfit had won 15 seats in the 2014 Assembly elections but is now left with only a dismal two MLAs.
Ever since Revanth’s defection, reports suggested that the TDP and the TRS could form an alliance for the 2019 elections in Telangana. However, Naidu refused to comment on the matter, telling his party men in Telangana, “We will think about electoral alliances only during the 2019 polls. Till then, please concentrate on party strengthening activities.”
Narasimhulu’s comments did not go down too well with other party leaders, including Telangana TDP president L Ramana, who said, “There are several lakh cadres who still wish to see the TDP elected to the state. All of us have great respect for NTR and great expectations from all of us.”
“We will always listen to the advice of friends, but the matter is clear here. There is a machinery inside the party for feedback, but the Telangana unit of the TDP is determined on winning all the seats in the state and flying the party flag high,” he added.
“The TDP will contest the elections and we will uphold the legacy of NTR. Whoever makes such comments, we will not respond. That is up to the party high command,” Ramana said.
Narasimhulu’s comments have also triggered speculation on whether he is planning to join the TRS, or if he would be expelled from the TDP for his statement.