Chinks appear in TDP as Babu says, 'No flag, no meetings'

Definite cracks appeared in the Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday over the contentious separate Telangana statehood, after party president N Chandrababu Naidu issuing a veiled warned to the his party’s ‘Telangana’ face Nagam Janardhan Reddy not to organize any public meeting without the TDP flag being hoisted.

Mr Naidu’s warning came after TD Telangana Legislators Forum convenor Nagam Janardhan Reddy and Parigi MLA Harishwar Reddy insisting that the ‘Telangana Nagara’ would be organized on May 21 but without the party flag being hoisted there.

The TDP’s leaders from Telangana argue that their public meetings are an attempt to unite leaders across the political spectrum on a single platform on the separate statehood issue. Hoisting the TDP flag at such meetings would be counter-productive, they argue.

However, Mr Naidu’s veiled warning that action would be taken against for their ‘anti-party’ activities of not hoisting the party flag during the agitations and meetings, is sure to raise the temperature in the TDP.

Mr Naidu indirectly hinted before media persons at NTR Trust Bhavan on Wednesday that the party would consider initiating strong disciplinary action against those Telangana MLAs for failing to hoist the party flag.

The TDP chief argued that, “When other parties are agitating for Telangana on party agenda and flag, why is the Telangana Rashtra Samihti demanding us to keep party flag aside.” Mr Naidu continued, “this is not fair.”

He made it clear that the party would brook no argument on the issue. “The party flag must fly high at whatever conventions or agitations that are organized by its members,” the TDP chief emphasized.

Reiterating that the party had already made its stand clear on the separate Telangana statehood demand, Mr Naidu said that it was the Centre which should take an early decision on the contentious issue.

The former chief minister added that the Centre should implement the recommendations made by Justice BN Srikrishna Committee in this regard and put an end to the problem.

Mr Naidu added that there was no need to pass a fresh resolution on Telangana in the forthcoming party’s conclave, the ‘Mahanadu’ which is scheduled to be held at Gandipet on May 27.