Political Talk: TDP Switches To ‘Aggressive’ From ‘Disciplined’

The Telugu Desam Party which has been suffering humiliating defeats time and again in the elections held during last two-and-half years appears to have changed its strategy in combating the ruling YCP in Andhra Pradesh.

Till the recent past, the TDP had allowed only popular leaders and party spokespersons to air views of the party. Claiming to be a ‘disciplined’ party, the leaders never resorted to using offensive and disparaging remarks.

However, from past few days the party leaders seemed to have switched their policy to ‘aggressive and abusive’ from ‘discipline and decorum’.

The first leader from the Opposition camp to raise his voice against the YCP leaders, was former minister Ayyana Patrudu. He termed Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy ‘Chetta naa….’ for imposing tax on trash and toilets.

Then came Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy, TDP senior leader from Nellore district, who lambasted minister Anil Kumar Yadav. He termed Yadav ‘Zip Baba’ and ‘useless fellow’.

Another TDP leader MS Raju also went overboard and hurled abuses at minister Kodali Nani, known for his foul language. Nani mainly targets TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his son N. Lokesh, calling them ‘sannasi’ and ‘daddamma’. In retaliation, Raju termed Nani ‘Adda gadida Naa….’.

Now, Alleging blackmailing, physical assault and harassment by the ruling party leaders, the TDP leaders boycotted the parishad polls held earlier this year. The TDP men even filed cases in courts, along with video evidences, against the YCP leaders.

Having registered a landslide victory in the parishad polls, the ruling party leaders again took to hurling abuses and choicest epithets against the opposition leaders, terming them “Chetakani daddammas” and “luccha na….”.

The YCP leaders took exception to TDP senior leader Ayyana Patrudu using abusive language and the TDP leaders fumed at the ministers for using filthy language against their party chief Chandrabau Naidu.

While a few political analysts feel that retaliation is necessary to withstand as an efficient opposition party in the state, some others opine that stooping to low levels by either parties would only end up in stoking of sentiments which could lead to clashes between the rivals.

Meanwhile, some senior politicians feel that it is good raise voice against ‘injustice’ and ‘excesses’ of the ruling party but the opposition leaders should observe restraint, if they fear harmful repercussions. Else, there will be only mayhem, instead of development which has already been neglected in the state, they predicted.

Being a fledgling state reeling under financial crisis, the ruling and opposition parties should work constructively to attract investments from the corporate sector and global players, for the development of the state, suggest political observers.