The Telugu Desam Party has decided to cast its weight with the Marxists. In a continuation of the efforts initiated for the formation of a third front on the national level, Chandrababu Naidu has decided to join hands with the CPM in the state level too. This is a smart move for some very obvious reasons. Firstly it taps into the deep resentment that the people have against the price rise. The only two parties in A.P which have consistently spoken against the price rise have been the TDP and CPM. Secondly the cadres of both the parties have been working together for the past three years and have since then developed a good comfort level going forward into the election year. And last but not the least; the TDP realizes that the CPM as a party is a much more reliable ally than the unstable TRS or the untested Praja Rajyam. Equally important the minority vote bank which the TDP feels will be eroded if it were to sail with the BJP is largely retained with this alliance with the CPM. For all these reasons and more Chandrababu found it easy to zero in on a common ground with Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury during their visit to Hyderabad earlier this week.
The CPM was also wooed by the Praja Rajyam party. Dr Mitras’ moves, though, were by and large ignored by the CPM top brass. The door however was slammed shut by the soft spoken B.V. Raghavulu. According to the news filtering out, Raghavulu inquired with Dr.Mitra about the general policy direction of the Praja Rajyam. Raghavulu explained that without any clarity on policies, it would be difficult for the CPM to join hands with Praja Rajyam. This is the second time that Chiranjeevi’s fledgling party has been cold shouldered in the past one week. First it was the TRS. And now it is the vastly more organized CPM. Chandrababu meanwhile has pulled off a neat political coup. With the CPM in his kitty, he is now focussing his efforts towards reigning in Mayawati’s BSP. If inside information in TDP is any indication, Mayawati does not seem have to any objections going into this alliance. The TDP chief has good reason to believe that this alliance has enough fire power to dislodge a well entrenched Congress.
The Congress leaders are definitely a worried lot. The Panchayat elections in Anantapur and Kadapa were the first signs of a resurgent TDP. This alliance has given further momentum to that resurgence. With this alliance the TDP is still standing strong by its promise of a Samaikhya Andhra. Leaders like Yerran Naidu and Yanamala Ramakrishnudu will now rally behind their leader. Also, the threat from the Pro-telengana group within the TDP, Chandrababu feels, will be neutralized by the strong grass root cadre that the left parties have in Telengana. More importantly Chandrababu Naidu is also aware that the TRS is too weak to go at it alone and should it side with the Congress, it will face a huge crisis of credibility. Chandrababu’s proposed alliance with the left parties will force Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam to join hands with the BJP. This is a move that will risk alienation of the minority vote and will cause considerable hurt to the party’s chances in the polls. The TRS too will now have to hold its own against the combined might of Congress and the TDP in the opposition. The NTPP on its part has to fight the might of Mayawati’s towering presence for the BC votes. Chandrababu has somehow authored a dream script. The tide has at last begun to turn.
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