Congress is old, TD young: Babu

The 125-year-old Congress is a old hag which has lost its sheen due to ageing, whereas the 29-year-old Telugu Desam is a young and vibrant party, claimed its president Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu. The TD chief also warned the TD leaders of serious action if they indulged in groupism.

Mr Naidu, who launched the party’s membership drive by renewing his membership at his Jubilee Hills residence, blamed the Congress government for the riots in the old city.

He demanded that the Centre bestow Bharat Ratna on Babu Jagjivan Ram for his contribution to uplift Scheduled Castes and other weaker sections.

“The Telugu Desam is a cadre-based party. We have to keep up its image. Only those who actively take up in the party’s programmes and policies and attend to public issues grow up as leaders. Only they get party posts,” he remarked.

“The Congress is over 100-years-old and ageing. The TD at 29 is young, strong and vibrant. We have to keep up this image and spirit. The Congress government has failed on the welfare front and in maintaining law and order,” he added. Mr Naidu said the party’s membership drive will continue for a fortnight and he asked party leaders and workers to give top priority to women and weaker sections in the membership drive. He asked party leaders to ensure that every eligible person be given membership in the party.

Hitting out at the Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders’ call to people to shun the TD’s membership (for not spelling out its stand on Telangana), he said it should expose the hollow stand of the TRS on the issue. Later, the senior TD leader, Mr M. Chandramohan Reddy said the TD’s Seema-Andhra leaders were united on Samaikya Andhra. “We are all united. We will submit two petitions to the Srikrishna committee from two regions,” he added.

Another senior party leader Mr Varla Ramaiah accused Dr K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, chairman of the security panel set up by the government of doing nothing to improve law and order.