Senior Telugu Desam Party leader and former minister Mothkupalli Narasimhulu is terribly upset with the attitude of party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for distancing him while addressing the party functionaries in Hyderabad in the last two days.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Mothkupalli said he had been the founder-member of the TDP and since then had been loyal to the party.
“As long as N T Rama Rao was alive, I was with him and after that, I had been loyal to Chandrababu Naidu. Unlike others, I never went out of the party and returned again.
I risked my life to protect the party in Telangana, when it was in crisis during the Telangana movement.
When Naidu himself was not in a position to come out during the agitation for separate state, I was the only person who boldly encountered the onslaught of agitators,” he said.
Mothkupalli said it was unfortunate that he was not allowed to attend the party functionaries’ meeting in Hyderabad in the last two days.
“They did not call me for the meeting nor was I allowed to enter the hall, when I came to NTR Bhavan. What mistake did I commit?” he asked.
He strongly defended his comments on the merger of the Telangana TDP with the TRS.
“I said it only to protect the party cadre. The so-called leaders, who were encouraged by Naidu, had deserted the party and jumped into other parties.
Leaders like Revanth Reddy betrayed the party and destroyed its image in cash-for-vote case. Except three or four leaders, there is none in the Telangana TDP now.
Under these circumstances, I was forced to suggest that it is better to merge the TDP with the TRS,” he said.
Mothkupalli reminded that even Naidu had hinted at an alliance with the TRS.
“Since we can’t join hands with the Congress and the BJP has dumped us, we have no option but to have alliance with the TRS,” he said.
He, however, said he would continue to be loyal to the party till his last breath.
