Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday made it clear that his party is not ready to accept all and sundry from the YSR Congress party, who would not be able to get tickets there.
“Why do we need all the disgruntled elements from the YSRC? We won’t accept all those who do not get the party tickets there. Only if those leaders who have clean record and have fair chances of winning want to join our party, we shall consider them,” Naidu said in his first interaction with media persons, after his release from Rajahmundry central jail in the skill development scam case.
He said it was nothing but natural that people from a sinking boat would like to jump and board a safer boat.
“The YSRCP boat has developed several holes and it is sinking. That is why many leaders of the party are looking up to the TDP,” he said.
The TDP chief said unlike in the past, he would announce the list of candidates at the earliest.
“We are in negotiations with the Jana Sena Party for seat sharing. Once we get the clarity on the seats, we shall announce the lists,” he said.
Naidu said he was adopting a unique strategy in the selection of candidates.
“It will be done only with the approval of the people. Nobody else, except me, is aware of the method of selection of candidates. I shall pick up the candidates based on their history and winning prospects,” he said.
He refused to divulge the strategy in selection of candidates.
“I shall disclose it at an appropriate time and select the right candidates for the right seats,” he said.
The TDP president said the way YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was changing his party candidates itself showed that he was not confident of winning the elections.
“Till the other day, he was talking about winning 175 out of 175 seats. Now, he is planning to drop a big number of candidates,” he pointed out.