Once bitten, twice shy – goes an English adage. Perhaps, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu seems to have realised the importance of this.
The TDP has lost all its elections held in Telagnana in the last two years of formation of Telangana. In fact, the party has lost its ground completely with as many as 12 of its MLAs defecting to the TDP. And in not a single by-election could the TDP manage to retain its deposit.
That is precisely why Naidu is not said to be very keen on the party to contest the by-election to Palair Assembly constituency in Khammam district to be held shortly.
Though former MP Nama Nageshwara Rao is keen contesting the by-poll, the TDP supremo is not interested because he is damn sure that the party is going to lose heavily, since the opponents are too strong – Tummala Nageshwara Rao from the TRS and R Sucharitha Reddy, widow of deceased MLA R Venkat Reddy.
While Tummala has the backing of ruling party, Sucharita is riding on the sympathy factor. Under these circumstances, the TDP has little chance of retaining its deposit, leave alone winning.
However, Naidu does not want to give impression that he is afraid of contest. So, he has left the ball in the court of the Telangana TDP, led by A Revanth Reddy, who will take a call on the contest. So, Naidu is playing safe!
