Faced with a threat to his own political survival, Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been trying hard to retain his hold on Kuppam, his own assembly constituency.
For the last two days, Naidu has been touring the constituency and meeting party workers and leaders, besides local people to give them some sort of reassurance that he would be them and there is no need to get demoralised.
The poor performance by the TDP in the local body elections in Kuppam, right from gram panchayat elections held in February and the MPTC and ZPTC elections held in April, whose results were declared in September, was a major setback to Naidu.
He was in such a bad shape that he could not even show his face to the cadres in the constituency, who had been totally demoralised.
The cadres have been demanding all these days that the local TDP leadership has become completely defunct and has not been in a position to counter the onslaught of the YSR Congress party.
Realising that if he did not wake up, the party would collapse in Kuppam and he might not win the next elections from the constituency, Naidu has begun the course correction.
During his interaction with the TDP cadres in Kuppam on Friday, he said the problem is not with the cadre, but with the leaders.
“We still have the strong cadre at the grassroots level. But there is a need to overhaul the leadership,” he said.
For the first time, Naidu also witnessed the growth of YSRC cadres in Kuppam, who could disrupt his meetings and create troubles for him. The YSRC cadre also tore the flexs and banners of the TDP in Naidu’s own bastion.
Tensions prevailed as the TDP leaders clashed with the YSRC cadres over tearing of their party flexes and banners from Rallabuduguru to Karnataka border.
On Saturday, the TDP chief addressed a series of road shows where he attacked the YSRC in his typical style.
He called upon the people to oppose and revolt against the 'illegal and looting policies' of the ruling YSRCP leaders in the State.
Naidu took representations from the people at the guest house before starting his road show.