Hyderabad: Asserting that Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are his two eyes, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday expressed the optimism that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will regain the glory in Telangana.
The TDP chief also said that TDP’s Telangana cadres indirectly contributed to the party’s emphatic victory in Andhra Pradesh elections.
Naidu was addressing a meeting of TDP leaders and workers at NTR Trust Bhavan, the party’s Telangana headquarters here.
The TDP chief was accorded a grand welcome by the party cadres on his first visit to the party headquarters after becoming chief minister for a fourth time.
Naidu also told the meeting that he took the initiative to resolve post-bifurcation issues and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy welcomed the same. “I once again thank him. There should be unity between the Telugu states. Telugu language and the interests of Telugu people should be protected,” said Naidu, who met Revanth Reddy on Saturday to discuss inter-state issues.
Naidu said that TDP’s goal is development in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He felt that disputes between the two will do more harm.
The Chief Minister said that problems can be solved in the spirit of give and take. “There is a Congress government in Telangana and an NDA government in Andhra Pradesh. Though ideologies are different, we will work together for the good of Telugu-speaking people,” he said.
Naidu, who served as the chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh for two terms during 1995-2004, said he had come here to meet and thank the party cadres who contributed indirectly to the party’s victory in recent polls in Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu stated that though TDP is not in power in Telangana, the cadres have not left the party. “Only leaders have gone. The cadres have remained with the party,” he said.
He remarked that as long as Telugu people remain, the TDP flag will fly high.
The TDP chief said the party turned the crisis into an opportunity to come to power in Andhra Pradesh once again. He asserted that he can never forget the love and affection shown by people when he was arrested. He mentioned that there were protests in several countries around the world against his arrest.
Naidu said he can’t forget the protest held in Hyderabad against his arrest. “I felt proud to see a meeting on television,” he said.
He recalled that TDP founder and former chief minister late N. T. Rama Rao was the pioneer of welfare schemes and he brought many reforms in administration.
Claiming that it was TDP which started building the knowledge economy, he said after him, Congress and BRS continued the development.
Naidu said after 2019, there was destructive rule in Andhra Pradesh. He alleged that the YSR Congress Party’s rule caused more harm to the state than the bifurcation.
He mentioned that people from Hyderabad came to Andhra Pradesh by 70 trains to cast their votes. The NRIs also came to the state by spending lakhs of rupees. “With all people casting their votes, there was a tsunami in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
(IANS)
