Once the strongest citadel of the TDP, Anantapur is a former shadow of itself. The TDP is deeply divided and the fissures are threatening to hit at the roots of the party. The rampant groupism among the TDP came to the fore on its 40th foundation day on Tuesday.
In most constituencies, the leaders celebrated the foundation day separately. Different groups had separate programmes leaving the cadre thoroughly confused. In Madakasira, TDP incharge Eeranna and former MLC Tippeswamy held separate meetings even after Chandrababu Naidu personally intervened and tried to broker peace. In Penugonda, TDP leader Sabitha held a separate programme and did not even bother to invite senior leader and former MLA BK Parthasarathi.
Tadpatri strongman JC Prabhakar Reddy turned the Foundation Day event into a political slugfest when he said that former minister Palle Raghunath Reddy should not be given the party ticket from Puttaparthi. In Dharmavaram, Paritala Ravi's son Paritala Sriram said that there was no question of admitting former MLA Varadapuram Suri into the TDP. He made adverse remarks openly against Suri.
In Guntakal, the four factions of the party organised four separate events. Constituency incharge Jitendra Goud held a meeting in Paritala Kalyanamantapam, while city president Bandaru Anand held another programme at the Beerappa temple circle.
State secretary Venkata Sivudu Yadav held another prgramme. Ditto with Kadiri where constituency incharge Kandikunta Venkata Prasad and former MLA Ather Chand Basha held separate meetings. Rayadurgam, Kalyanadurgam too witnessed similar group fights and intense rivalry. On the whole, on a day when they should have displayed unity, the TDP presented total dissonance and disunity.
In most constituencies, the leaders celebrated the foundation day separately. Different groups had separate programmes leaving the cadre thoroughly confused. In Madakasira, TDP incharge Eeranna and former MLC Tippeswamy held separate meetings even after Chandrababu Naidu personally intervened and tried to broker peace. In Penugonda, TDP leader Sabitha held a separate programme and did not even bother to invite senior leader and former MLA BK Parthasarathi.
Tadpatri strongman JC Prabhakar Reddy turned the Foundation Day event into a political slugfest when he said that former minister Palle Raghunath Reddy should not be given the party ticket from Puttaparthi. In Dharmavaram, Paritala Ravi's son Paritala Sriram said that there was no question of admitting former MLA Varadapuram Suri into the TDP. He made adverse remarks openly against Suri.
In Guntakal, the four factions of the party organised four separate events. Constituency incharge Jitendra Goud held a meeting in Paritala Kalyanamantapam, while city president Bandaru Anand held another programme at the Beerappa temple circle.
State secretary Venkata Sivudu Yadav held another prgramme. Ditto with Kadiri where constituency incharge Kandikunta Venkata Prasad and former MLA Ather Chand Basha held separate meetings. Rayadurgam, Kalyanadurgam too witnessed similar group fights and intense rivalry. On the whole, on a day when they should have displayed unity, the TDP presented total dissonance and disunity.