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PW threat: TDP leaders quit posts

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR FEB. 26. After the warning issued by the People's War (PW), hundreds of leaders of different ranks in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are quitting their posts fearing for their lives.

The PW has apparently succeeded in forcing the ruling party's leaders in villages and mandal headquarters to quit with a view to strengthening its "grama rakshaka dalams.'' The assassination of the former sarpanch and Congress leader, A. Hanimi Reddy, in Sirigiripadu village (Veldurthy mandal) and another former sarpanch, K. Venkaiah, in Papayapalem village (Bellamkonda mandal) less than a week ago came as a rude shock to leaders in the lower rung of both the major political parties. The Congress leader in Macherla, Kurri Punna Reddy, who represented this constituency as a TDP legislator, recently announced that he was retiring from active politics.

Though the leaders are citing "personal reasons'' as cause for their resignations, they are surely afraid of the PW's warning. Apart from the Minister for Medical and Health, Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, the PW asked the TDP legislators, Julakanti Durgamba (Macherla) and V. Yellamanda Rao (Vinukonda) and the Agricultural Market Committee chairman of Macherla, G. Mallikarjuna Rao, also to quit their posts forthwith, as they "failed to mete out justice to the people.'' The PW's warning was later extended to leaders of all ranks of the ruling party.

The Chandravanka Area Committee secretary, Sanjeev, in a recent statement, asked all the leaders to quit their respective positions.

Reacting to sharply to this demand, Dr. Sivaprasada Rao told The Hindu over telephone on Wednesday "We are in a democracy. We are striving for development. They (the PW) are unruly elements. They have no right to demand anybody's resignation.'' To a query on how he would boost the sagging morale of his partymen who were jittery over the warnings, the Minister said "I am visiting all villages. I am meeting people, particularly those who suffered at the hands of the naxalites. We are going ahead in a big way with development and welfare activities. I am appealing to everyone in public life not to be afraid of these warnings. Instead, I want all of them to work with renewed vigour in carrying forward the development activities being taken up by the Government. These threats should not lower down our confidence levels, nor should they affect our functioning.''

However, at least 50 leaders of the TDP tendered their resignations from the primary membership of the party in Dachepalli mandal. In Pedagarlapadu village alone, the sarpanch, P. Ankulu, mandal parishad territorial constituency (MPTC) member, I. Lakshmamma, former president of the primary agricultural cooperative society (PACS), P. Kanthaiah, former president of the PACS, R. Sambaiah, 11 ward members and 40 party activists quit their posts. The mandal party convener, K. Ankaiah, senior leader, K. Ramaswamy, resigned on Monday. The former vice-chairman of the Agricultural Market Committee in Piduguralla, N. Venkateswarlu, and several others also quit the primary membership of the TDP. A leader from BJP also is said to have relinquished his post and also his primary membership in the party.

Similarly, Linga Brahmaiah of Durgi mandal, also announced his resignation from the TDP. It is reliably learnt that the PW held a "grama sabha'' at Gangalakunta a week ago and decided to target a Congress leader and a TDP leader who were becoming impediments to naxal activities.

The TDP conducted its Macherla constituency-level workers meeting at a secret venue on Sunday without much publicity. What is interesting is the Municipal Chairman, Sk. Chathu Saheb, who went to the originally-scheduled venue -- a conference hall in a hotel -- had to wait for a long time. In fact, Mrs. Durgamba (MLA), former MP, Kota Saidaiah, and Mr. Mallikarjuna Rao (Macherla AMC chairman) did not turn up at the meeting deliberately. These three were reportedly warned by the PW over phone.

Several other leaders in naxalite-affected areas are leaving the villages for safety. The senior party leaders are also not in a position to assuage the hurt feelings of the lower rung leaders, as they seem to be confused themselves over the developments in the wake of the PW's warnings. The second and third rung leaders are also seeking police protection for themselves.

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