Naidu re-elected TDP chief

Nara Chandrababu Naidu was re-elected president of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) unanimously for the seventh time in a row on the concluding day of ‘Mahanadu' here on Saturday. The process of election that commenced on Friday was completed this afternoon, though it was a mere formality.

In his concluding speech, Mr. Naidu thanked the party delegates for re-electing him and giving him another opportunity to serve the party. He promised to spend equal time for the party and the people and pledged to protect every party worker, stating that it was because of the committed activists the party was so close to people.

There was a historic necessity to bring TDP back in power as “problems cloud the State every time Congress returned to power,” he said and pointed out that the present situation was an example.

The TDP chief claimed that manipulation of voting was possible in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and sought a nationwide debate on the issue as 14 political parties had already expressed reservations over the EVMs. He demanded that the State government hold party-based and direct elections to local bodies.

Speaking on the resolution relating to law and order in the State earlier, Mr. Naidu demanded scrapping of the Committee on Public Security headed by K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao as it had failed to take stock of the situation.

Alleging that Congress government was behind the murder of TDP activists during the last six years he said: “Had the previous TDP government thought on the same lines, no Congress man would have been alive.”

He blamed political mafia for the violent incidents at Mahabubabad in Warangal district on Friday and felt lack of freedom in functioning was incapacitating the police.

Coming down heavily on ‘Jalayagnam', the TDP chief said it was difficult to complete the projects taken up even in the next three decades.

He demanded that the government announce Polavaram and Pranahita-Chevella as national projects.