Can the deputy leader of the party in Assembly, Tekkali MLA from Srikakulam district Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, who has been elected as the president of Telugu Desam Party rein in the ruling YSRCP, which achieved an unprecedented victory in the recent general election in Andhra Pradesh.
Atchannaidu is the latest one to take control of the Telugu Desam Party, a regional party which was formed in the leadership of Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao to check the Congress party which was single-handedly ruling Andhra Pradesh. Will the Telugu Desam get its past glory which it had during the time of Chandrababu? This is a topic of discussion among party activists right from the streets of AP to Delhi.
A confidante of TDP
Atchannaidu, who has been elected as the Andhra Pradesh TDP president has been a confidante of the party and recognized as a person who continuously strives for the growth of the party. He is known as a person who is most loyal to the party principles and was always ready to demonstrate any courage for the progress of the party. He is close to Chandrababu, and hence party functionaries feel that he was handed over the responsibilities.
Uncompromising leader
Atchannaidu made his political debut with the Telugu Desam Party, and continued to be in the party despite several setbacks and gained a good reputation among party ranks as an uncompromising leader. With the blessings of former Union Minister Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu, Atchannaidu entered the State Assembly for the first time in 1996 having won from the Harishchandrapuram Assembly constituency in Srikakulam district.
Until then, Yerran Naidu who had represented the constituency as MLA won as an MP. Thus, with the bye-election, Atchannaidu got a chance to make his political entry. He proved his abilities once again by winning from the same seat in the 1999 general elections. The Harishchandrapuram constituency was removed in the delimitation in 2004. With this, the TDP leader contested from Tekkali Assembly constituency in the general elections that year and lost to his rival Dr Korla Revathipathi of Congress party.
However, Revathipati accidentally died even before being sworn in as the MLA. In the by-elections held at the time, Revathipati’s wife Korla Bharati entered the Tekkali Assembly constituency as the Congress candidate and Atchannaidu, who had once again contested from TDP, lost the election.
Without being discouraged, the TDP leader analysed the reasons for his defeat and started mingling with people, and won the 2009 Assembly elections from Tekkali Assembly constituency and never looked back after that. He once again won from the same constituency in the 2014 Assembly elections in wake of the reorganisation of the state. With the Telugu Desam Party coming into power, he was made minister for transport and later minister for labour.
Despite the statewide wave of Jagan continuing in 2019, he showed his mettle by winning from Tekkali over the YCP candidate. He asserted his position as deputy leader of the opposition in the Assembly. Apart from thwarting the aggression of YCP in the Assembly, he questioned the government on a number of issues of public interest. He is at the forefront of opposing the anti-people policies.
No comparison between Kala and Atchannaidu
There is no comparison between Atchannaidu and Kala Venkatrao, who is also from the Srikakulam district and served as the Telugu Desam Party state president. Kala Venkatrao is kind and modest. It has to be said that in the present political atmosphere, these are no longer useful. It is learnt that in this context Chandrababu has selected Atchannaidu as the party leader, who has a personality that is completely different from the nature of Kala. It is said that the abilities like aggression, boldness, and good relations with party cadre from grassroots to the top leadership were the plus points for Atchannaidu.
A flurry of congratulations
Ever since the announcement of Atchannaidu’s appointment as TDP state president was made, his fans and the party leaders have been reaching out to his hometown, Srikakulam district to congratulate him. They are hopeful that the Telugu Desam Party will once again triumph in the State.
It remains to be seen to what extent Atchannaidu will help the party win and bring back its past glory in the forthcoming local and general elections and to what extent the leadership will succeed in fulfilling its hopes.
