40 Years Of TDP: It’s Time To Reinvent & Rebrand

Founded by the legendary leader N.T. Rama Rao, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has completed 40 years of existence facing several trials and tribulations. Now, the party is facing its worst ever crisis apparently due to lack of able leadership.

NTR ruled the people’s heart as the matinee idol and this admiration converted into vote bank catapulting him as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. His charisma and honesty helped him win people’s trust. They believed in him as he always kept his word and helped the poor and needy. He is also known for protecting the self-respect and esteem of the Telugus across the world.

Able administration

Balancing this generosity, his successor and former Chief Mnister N. Chandrababu Naidu brought in able administration, coupled with pragmatism, which indeed improved the condition of the state exchequer. Naidu is associated with the TDP since its formation and it can be known through the fact that the YCP leaders make a mockery of him with the catch phrase ’40 years industry’.

Naidu’s able administration was recognised even by foreign leaders and he is known as an able administrator even today. They were awestruck with the vision and planning Naidu had for the state by sowing seeds for the development of information technology. For the same reason, people of Andhra Pradesh voted him to power hoping that he would be able to build a capital for the residuary state, after bifurcation.

The TDP leaders proudly claim that their party is the only regional outfit in the entire country which is cadre-based and that the cadre never betrayed its organisation.

With honesty and practicality as the cornerstones, the party flourished and had risen to be the main opposition party in the Lok Sabha from 1984 to 1989. TDP is the first regional party to have enjoyed the status.

Influence of internet

Now, political observers say that the party seems to have lost all its glory and that there is an urgent need to reinvent and rebrand itself in the internet-driven world. They say that the party has to adapt to the new trends being set by the social media.

Political analysts say that Naidu’s son and former minister Lokesh has to rise up to the occasion and rework on party strategy to give a fresh lease of life to the party. He has to prove himself as a leader who can work and manage his team independently, they said.

Political consultants

Political parties are no more ruled by politicians alone. The leadership of political parties have to understand that apart from footing the bills and expenditure of the political outfits, they also need to rope in political consultants to have an edge over the rivals, the TDP leaders pointed out.

These days, the political parties are being forced to hire political consultancies to chalk out strategies and campaign models to influence the voters and create an image of the party leaders in their minds. With social media fitting into the palms of the electorate and all media platforms available on smart phones, the gamut of politics needs to be redesigned, political observers felt.

It is a known fact YCP leader and Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy hired Prashant Kishore, election strategist of I-PAC, ahead of the elections while simultaneously launching a padayatra in the state to get in touch with the people directly.

In the wake of the existential threat being faced by the TDP, it has to project itself as a party for the people by trying to infuse fresh blood and being in direct contact with the voters. A few party leaders exuded confidence that the party will be able to overcome this crisis just as it did in the past but pointed out that it required a lot of efforts and change in the mindset of the party leadership.

Nearing obliteration in neighbouring Telangana, Naidu’s successor needs to redraw and redefine the party with an USP that can connect with the people. He also needs to prove himself as an able and efficient political leader with political acumen and stamina, political analysts added.