It appears Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has not given up his hope of making friendship with the Bharatiya Janata Party, though the latter has not been reciprocating his overtures.
It was okay on the part of Naidu to extend support to NDA's candidate Droupathi Murmu for Presidential elections, because the TDP, too, cannot afford to lose politically by rejecting a tribal leader and that, too, a woman.
But the way the TDP chief made use of the opportunity of Murmu’s visit to Vijayawada and went overboard to appease the BJP leaders showed that he can go to any extent if he thinks it will suit his political interests.
In fact, meeting the TDP leaders was not on the schedule of Murmu, when she planned her Vijayawada visit, as it was only on Monday night that the TDP took a decision to support her.
But Naidu moved heaven and earth to meet Murmu and make it a grand affair, so as to display his loyalty to the BJP.
He spoke to Union minister G Kishan Reddy and convinced him to arrange a meeting of Murmu with the TDP MPs and MLAs at Vijayawada.
He booked a five-star hotel – Hotel Gateway Taj – where he arranged a meeting of Murmu with the TDP voters.
He also invited BJP leaders including state BJP leaders Somu Veerraju. G V L Narasimha Rao and of course, his old colleague C M Ramesh and BJP leaders Vakati Narayana Reddy and Madhav to Hotel Gateway.
And Naidu ensured that it was a great reception for the BJP’s presidential candidate. He openly thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for choosing Murmu as the Presidential candidate.
"The TDP takes pride to extend support to a great tribal leader like Murmu and fortunate enough to have her here," Naidu said.
The BJP leaders had no option but to extend their gratitude to Naidu for arranging such a reception to Murmu.
Kishan Reddy praised Naidu and said he had always stood for social justice and for the uplift of the downtroden sections of society. He recalled the crucial role played by Naidu in the earlier elections of the President of India, particularly during the Vajpayee regime.
BJP State party unit president Somu Veeraraju also was all praise for the TDP and its leaders.
Naidu also had a meeting with all the BJP leaders and recalled his past association with them. They also wished him good health.