Political Parties In India

Andhra Pradesh Telugu Desam Party

Founded	March 29, 1982
Headquarters	Road No.2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad-500033
Ideology	Regionalist, Fiscally Conservative
Political position	Centre
ECI Status	Regional Party
Alliance	NDA (2004-2009)
	TF (2009-present

 

One of the regional parties of India known as TDP or Telugu Desam Party is an Andhra Pradesh based political party. Famed Telugu Movie Star N. T. Rama Rao or NTR founded the TDP on 29th March in the year 1982 to give the Telugu voters an option against Congress Party. TDP was a large success in the Lok Sabha Polls of 1984 with thirty nine members elected of the party.

TDP was founded on the principles of protecting the social, political, cultural and economic fundamentals of the Telugu People. The party made it its practicing principle to safeguard the self esteem and pride of the Telugu people and also made to sure that basic needs of shelter, food, and clothing of the citizens are fulfilled at a consistent and reasonable price. This practice was aimed at a higher goal development of all the weaker sections of the society.

Equality and Justice are the corner stones of the TDP, in order to serve the people and push the state into a phase of development. NTR, the founder of TDP stressed on the fact that People of the State are like God of the Temple.

TDP also made it a point to enter into the war to stop corruption which according to the party was rooted by the Congress Party in the state. TDP strived to accomplish the unified and practical harmonization with all other political parties except the Congress, in order to serve the Telugu People.

Organization

Telugu Desam Party enacted as the safeguard of the economic, power and administrative reforms in India. TDP in alliance with the World Bank Aid introduced many extensive programs for the welfare of the poor in order to increase manpower of skilled nature. TDP ensured a streamlined administrative setup so as to uplift the real poor.

TDP believed in the strong 4th pillar of democracy and in making print and electronic media more powerful. TDP affirmed that promotion and growth of a fair and free journalism is the most important component of a healthy and prosperous social setup.

TDP’s outlined features as guided by founder NTR and his successor Chandrababu Naidu can be summarized as below:

Endorse full fledged acknowledgment for Telugu language, culture and literature. Give financial, marketing and technological support and endorse agriculture for profitable and earning profession in villages. Stipulation of profitable remuneration prices for cultivated product with other provisions like MSP for staple foods and other goods. Conserve environment, water resources & greenery for the sake of generations ahead. Empower weaker sections like unemployed youth with skill enhancement, sports and cultural activities to lead them away from left wing influence. Empower financially the local bodies like, Zila Parishads, Mandals, and Municipal Corporations etc. Development of villages with cultivator focused strategy to uplift the rural sector of health, roads and electrification. Endorse education system in partnership with private players, adding value to information given to citizens for tasks lying ahead of them. Reserve half of the seats in constitutional and elected bodies for women, for them to play pivotal role in economic development. Schemes for poor for Housing, wage labour and other essentials. Rice at discounted prices for BPL families and supply other essential commodities. Reforms in election process, Law for Anti-Defection, Anti-Black Money laws to make India corruption free. Implementing E-Governance, reforms in administrative setup to regulate public services like pensions, soft loans, and rationing reforms. Promote skill enhancement, political education, sports reforms and cultural knowledge in youths. Financing reforms and training options for the heritage art workers and village occupations. Provide irrigation facilities of micro, medium and minor levels to cultivators of scorched and waterless areas. Make high end medical treatment accessible for deprived and poor through Government Schemes. Equal share in financial allocation to minorities for their over all growth in employment, education and health etc.

Famous Members of the Party

Dr. Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao

NTR or N.T. Rama Rao, the founder of the TDP is a multi talented person. Also known as Anna Garu or Pedala Pennidhi in the masses, being a popular movie star was followed by masses. He made advances into the politics by contributing to people’s causes and is considered as “Hero” with the people of Telugu speaking region.

Fonder of the TDP party, NTR held the position of Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister for more than 7 years. NTR belonged to District Krishna’s Nimmakuru area, where his birth took place in 1923. He completed his graduation from Guntur’s AC College in Arts. His role in mythological movies made him a God for the village population and was called as “Nata Sarvabhouma”.

The roles, he played like of teacher, a prince, a destitute, a house servant and many others made people to hold him in very high esteem and honour. Moreover, the mythological roles, he played rendered him an image of a saintly man, even of a God in masses. These qualities helped him to garner the faith of people for his campaign against evil practices like corruption and administrative failures or Red Tape culture.

The decision of NTR to move into politics was based on the queries; he had to face from his fans. His followers would ask for his contribution towards them after all they had done for him in making him a God and worshipping him. This thought provoking question made NTR to decide that he will form a political party which will have the goal and manifesto of the uplifting of the poor and needy people of Telugu speaking region in particular and public in general.

With NTR forming the TDP in 1982 and raising the motto of “Telugu Atma Gauravam" (Means Self Pride), the party went on to win the coming elections with a huge margin. The TDP was formed by NTR to root out the Malpractices rooted by the Congress, and was hugely successful in the elections with the support and mood of people favouring NTR and the TDP principles. The rallies and gathering at NTR’s speeches showed one and all the mood of the people.

It was his charisma and support from his faithful officers that NTR was able to garner the following and warm relations with people. His term as chief minister was of friendly relations with people and easy to reach CM’s office for a common man. His food schemes for poor, removal of middle management in bureaucracy, introduction of Mandal System and many such reforms made him a popular leader with the Telugu people.

It was a thumping come back when NTR gained power again after the attempted coup was foiled by his egalitarian struggle against the Congress. The Congress hierarchy was taken back by his returning back to power in only a single month after the coup by then finance minister Nadendla Bhaskar Rao on the behest of Congress.

Regaining power made NTR to further introduce masses friendly schemes. This was done by the able Sri Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who had a big hand in reforming the state machinery. Being a non-contributive body, NTR eliminated the AP Legislative Council and reformed the education sector. A common entrance exam to enter into professional colleges was laid down in order to select on merit. Vigilance and other regulatory departments were given teeth.

NTR was a great orator, as can be seen in his speeches which sway the public emotions to the TDP’s favour. His speech in Hindi at Haryana is an epitome of his oration essence when He lectured to a packed stadium for about 45 minutes in Hindi. It was revealed by him later on that he had memorized the whole speech on phonetics only surprising the whole North India Political cadre, especially Devilal of Haryana.

NTR contributed towards the corruption free India but his other significant contribution was that of assimilating the Non-Congress Political Parties on a single platform to form the alliance against the Congress and give people of India an option against Congress. Likes of Janata Dal, BJP and CPI etc came together against Congress on a national level.

NTR was pivotal in early 90’s and late 80’s in the field of women empowerment and it was the issue of total prohibition in the state which he approved the first thing after becoming chief minister of AP. Till the last breath of NTR, he was a politician who was held in a very high esteem and a worker who worked for his people especially those who were living in a destitute condition.

Nara Chandrababu Naidu

Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s birth was at District Chittoor of AP in the year of 1950. In 1996, he became the President of TDP and also got elected as AP’s Chief Minister. He held the CM’s Chair for more than eight years and carried forward the legacy of NTR in Andhra Pradesh.

Foreign Visitors of stature of Bill Clinton, Bill Gates and Tony Blair made it a point to visit Hyderabad to meet Chandrababu. His role and vision in transforming Hyderabad to the IT capital of Asia is an example of dedication and commitment towards his people. State of Illinois organized “Naidu Day” in the honour of Chandrababu. He has been nominated to hundreds of awards and honors and has won awards from likes of India Today, Economic Times, World Economic Forum, Time Asia, National IT Panel, Oracle US and many others for his outstanding contribution in development of IT industry in Hyderabad.