Telugu Desam Party has completed 40 years of existence. It was on this day forty years ago, NT Ramarao announced the party for the first time and changed Telugu politics forever.
Founded as an alternative to Congress by emphasizing Telugu pride, TDP was initially Pro-farmers, Pro-backward classes, and Pro-middle class.
NTR made an indelible mark by abolishing Patel – Patwari system in Telangana, Kilo Rice for 2 Rupees, etc.
Dozens of big leaders (in TDP and other parties today) have their roots in TDP and were given tickets when they are from very modest backgrounds.
It will come as a shock for the current generation to know how such people were given tickets and how NTR ensured they win effortlessly without spending money.
Even though the opposition parties dubbed TDP as a Kamma party (just because of NTR’s community), the party is always known to have its biggest strength in BCs for the very reason.
Chandrababu Naidu added a different dimension to the TDP once he is in the party. He is known for deep penetration to the grassroots having connected with cadre at the bottom of the hierarchy.
He also made the party Pro-business and Pro-development which has changed the face of Hyderabad and Telugu society. IT jobs he brought to Hyderabad changed the face of many families.
The IT jobs he brought prospered a huge population of the poor and the middle-class.
Despite all this, TDP’s journey is never smooth. After coming to power with a record 200+ seats in 1983 and 1985. TDP staged a historic battle against a coup by Nadendla Bhaskara Rao with the support of the people and brought NTR back in power in just 31 days in 1984.
TDP lost in the 1989 elections and everyone dubbed NTR as a gone case.
The party made a stunning comeback in 1994 by winning 224 out of the 251 seats it has contested. After winning the 1999 elections under Chandrababu Naidu, the party lost in 2004 and 2009.
With Late YSR unleashing operation Akarsha, once again there were doubts over TDP’s survival.
Bifurcation cost TDP dearly and ensured that it loses the space in Telangana which is its strongest turf once.
Many actually doubted the party’s existence in AP as well.
But like a phoenix that rises from ashes, the party came to power in the 2014 elections.
While Chandrababu was busy scripting a new history for bifurcated AP in the form of Amaravati, he failed to sense the modern-day political warfare on WhatsApp and social media.
The result is a historic defeat in 2019. There are doubts once again if TDP can ever see power but just three years after the elections, there are signs already of the revival.
“TDP performs the best when it is underestimated. History says so. It is for the opponents to ignore it,” political experts say.
