Violence and corruption: TDP fast losing its support base?

A series of land grabbing allegations, including the latest regularisation of 55 acres of land encroached by TDP MP in Visakhapatnam, massive corruption by the TDP leaders at the grassroots level and the violent attacks on the YSR Congress party leaders have fast eroded the support base of the ruling coalition, analysts say.

According to an analyst, all the efforts of TDP president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to increase the brand image of Andhra Pradesh and attract investments are going waste, with the cadres creating a law-and-order crisis in the state and the leaders indulging in rampant corruption.

While the YSR Congress party has successfully capitalised on the latest CBI-led special investigation team’s report on the Tirumala ghee adulteration issue, the TDP leaders failed to put up a strong counter, thereby losing its image in the public.

Added to this, YSRCP leaders successfully provoked the TDP cadres by making nasty comments against Naidu and his son Lokesh, knowing fully well that it would trigger the protests and violence. Readmore!

According to an analyst, the TDP should have tackled the issue through legal recourse, like filing cases against Ambati Rambabu and Jogi Ramesh. But the TDP chose the violent method to target the YSRCP – a development the opposition exactly wanted.

Another analyst said the TDP cadres gave vent to their dissatisfaction over the hitherto soft approach of the party leadership towards the YSRCP and its continued influence on bureaucracy. 

They are angry with the way industrialists perceived as being close to YSRCP are getting favours. Some party leaders have alleged that businessmen earlier labelled “YSRCP-friendly” are now receiving patronage under the new regime as well.

“Maybe, that is the reason why the party cadres displayed their anger by attacking the houses of Ambati and Jogi and resorting to arson and violence, which only caused big damage to the party,” the analyst said.

Political commentators warn that if the ruling party is seen as replicating the very culture it promised to dismantle, the coalition’s credibility could erode rapidly in the coming months.