Three days from today, the TDP is set to celebrate the 40th formation day on March 29. The party was formed on March 29 in 1982 by Tollywood hero N T Rama Rao.
Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu unveiled a special logo for the 40th formation day and the party plans to have celebrations all through the year.
The party came to power in a matter of nine months and NTR took oath as chief minister on January 9, 1983. He was the tenth chief minister of the united Andhra Pradesh and the was the first non-Congress Chief Minister.
Being the regional party, TDP was the first main opposition party in Lok Sabha during 1984-89.
Perhaps, the TDP is the first and the last regional party to be the main opposition party in Lok Sabha in its long history and the near future.
TDP is also known for creating a successful alternative to the Congress in national politics with NTR being the chairman of the alliance, the National Front.
NTR was the second leader after Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan to create the way for formation of an anti-Congress government in Delhi.
Since then, the party has played an important role in national politics and in the election of Presidents and Prime Ministers for the world’s largest democratic nation.
From that politically-rich period, the party had stooped down to the lowest in Andhra Pradesh, where it ruled for nearly three decades.
The party has lost its presence in Telangana and is on the verge of losing its significance in Andhra Pradesh, if one goes by the party’s performance in the local body elections.
Having played the main opposition role in Parliament in its early days, the party is now on the edge of being the main opposition in the State Assembly.
TDP is just five seats of the 18-member mark technically to retain the opposition tag. But practically, it is just one seat away with four of its members disassociating from the party.
Politically, the TDP’s strength in Assembly is just 19 including Chandrababu Naidu, though technically it has 23 members.
One wonders if this strength would remain with the party till 2024 or will the TDP be able to improve its performance in the 2024 election are big questions.
However, for good or bad, the party would be engaged in celebrating the 40th year of its formation all through 2022.