For quite some time, Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been under tremendous pressure from his party leaders and cadre to bring Junior NTR back into the party to restore its past glory.
Though Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh have been struggling hard for the party and fighting to take up public issues, there has been no enthusiasm in the party cadre.
The morale of the cadre has been abysmally low after the TDP’s poor performance in the local body elections.
Apparently, the party leaders and cadre have realised that it may not be possible for Naidu to alone to bring the past glory to the party, as they have no hopes on Lokesh’s leadership abilities.
They are worried whether Naidu would have energies to lead the party to victory in the next elections.
That is precisely why there has been a demand from various quarters in the party that Naidu should bring back Junior NTR into the party and entrust him with key responsibilities to lead the party from the front.
Right from party cadres at Kuppam to senior leaders like Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary echoed the same feeling.
Against this backdrop, there are reports that Naidu has spoken to NTR recently over phone and requested him to take active role in the party activities.
He explained in detail how the party badly needs NTR’s services since it is a now-or-never situation for the TDP.
NTR is learnt to have responded positively to Naidu’s request but put forth some conditions. He also reportedly made quite a few suggestions that would help him lead the party campaign.
Sources said Naidu was surprised at the observations made by NTR about the functioning of the party.
“It shows that NTR has not completely cut off himself from the party activities but has been closely watching the developments. He has a lot of clarity as to what he should do if he has to take active role in the party,” sources said.
Though NTR’s entry into the party might not be taken kindly by Lokesh, but there is no other option for the party, if it has to stage a comeback to power in the next elections.
What NTR has asked and what Naidu has agreed for during the discussions still remains a secret.
