Chandrababu Naidu eyes Lok Sabha seat

Hyderabad: Talk in the Telugu Desam circles is that party president N. Chandrababu Naidu will contest the Lok Sabha polls rather than the Assembly elections.

Naidu perceives that the Assembly polls will not be held on schedule, given the Telangana developments.

This was confirmed by one of the party’s senior legislators from Mahbubnagar district, though he cautioned that this was not final yet.

Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana and Hindupur in Rayalaseema regions are two of the seats that have been shortlisted for Naidu.

The TD chief cannot contest for the Lok Sabha from his home district owing to both being reserved for Scheduled Castes, he is likely to do so from Hindupur Lok Sabha in Anantapur district, considered to be the safest seat for the party as it has been returning TD candidates successively.

The other seat is Malkajgiri, in Telangana, again owing to the presence of more than five lakh voters settled from Seemandhra.

He has ordered a survey of these constituencies.

The other aspect of Naidu’s gambit is that he “is preparing to play a bigger role this time,”?the legislator said.

Naidu has been consulting party leaders, telling them that he was considering a role in national politics. Some senior party leaders are, however, uncomfortable with the idea and have asked Naidu to forget contesting for Lok Sabha.

They have told him that his leaving the state while continuing to stake his claim for the chief minister’s post will create an unnecessary controversy.

They have also cautioned him that such a decision will help in paving the way for Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to become chief minister. Naidu has assured them that he has not taken a decision and is only exploring possibilities in case the Assembly elections are delayed.

Sources said there are two reasons for Naidu looking at the Lok Sabha polls. One, that he believes that after the Assembly concludes its debate on the Telangana Bill by January 23, it is likely that several Seemandhra ministers and MLAs will quit, leading to the collapse of the government and forcing the Governor to recommend President’s Rule.

The tenure of the present Assembly ends on June 2, 2014.

In case President’s Rule is imposed, elections cannot be held by the Election Commission according to its schedule and then the polls will be decided by the government in New Delhi. However, Lok Sabha polls can be held in a state regardless of President’s Rule.

The Telangana Bill allows for holding of polls in both the newly formed states after delimitation of the constituencies. But opinions differ over whether holding polls to Lok Sabha seats in AP are possible as delimitation also applies to its parliamentary constituencies.

There is also talk in TD circles that National Democratic Alliance leaders, who are in touch with Naidu, have been requesting him to take an active part in national politics.

They also said to have offered him the NDA convener’s post, and then a Union minister holding a key portfolio. However, all this depends on developments on the Telangana front, which are expected to unfold in entirety by the end of January or early February.

TD chief promises bright future for women

Hyderabad:?Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu is trying to woo women voters by promising them a bright future under his leadership.

After celebrating New Year at his residence with the party’s Mahila members and other leaders, by cutting a huge yellow coloured cake, the Telugu Desam chief took off to a slum in Kattedan Industrial area in Rajendranagar to interact with the women residents.

“2013 was bad for women. They suffered pain and agony. Every 22 minutes a woman suffered atrocity in the country. Telugu Desam will change the situation for the better. I hope the New Year brings cheer on their faces and improves their lifestyle,” Naidu said.

Referring to the establishment of Hitec city during his tenure, Naidu said women employees earned more than men. “I have come to wipe away your tears. We had started Deepam and several other schemes. We will stand by women and work for their uplift.”

Naidu alleged that Congress under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi had turned into an anaconda, a snake swallowing the whole country. P

eople should take on the Congress anaconda, he said.

“Prices have gone up in all sectors under Congress rule. Congress is steeped deep in corruption. People should wipe out such a party. There is no administration in the state,”?he said.

TD finds it tough for candidates

Visakhapatnam: Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu may have set his sights high – a key role in national politics through winning the maximum number of Lok Sabha seats.

The flip side of the coin is that the party is struggling to find suitable candidates to contest from three parliamentary constituencies in the district — Vizag, Anakapalle and Araku.

TD bosses are said to have begun the hunt for ‘wealthy’ winning horses to contest from the three constituencies, what with contesting polls having become a costly affair.

According to sources, the TD is banking on minister for ports & infrastructure Ganta Srinivasa Rao, joining the party. He seems to be keen on a Lok Sabha ticket in the 2014 polls.

He is likely to contest from Vizag or Anakapalle. TD’s M.V.V.S. Murthy had contested six times from Vizag, won twice and lost four times.

The situation in Anakapalle is not so encouraging either. After the exit of Dadi Veerabhadhra Rao, the TD is left choosing between Pappala Chalapati Rao and Adari Tulasi Rao – two senior most faces.

The TD does not have a popular face in Araku constituency, which is reserved for an ST.