The families fight it out as if they own the party

Telugu news channels and some of the mainstream newspapers have reported in detail the crisis that hit the Telugu Desam Party in Krishna District. If the news reports are to be believed the happenings in Krishna district are just the ripples. The epicenter of the political-quake is situated in Banjara Hills. The cause for the mini tsunami in Telugu Desam party is the fight for the rights of the party, the NTR Bhavan and of course the legacy of NTR.

It is reported that Nandamuri Hari Krishna, son of NTR and a member of the Rajya Sabha is deeply hurt at being sidelined by his brother-in-law and the TDP Chief Chandrababu. It is reported that the recent revolt in Krishna district by Vallabhaneni Vamsi and Kodali Nani against the TDP functionaries in the district was instigated by Hari Krishna. There were reports that suggested that the fight Kodali Nani and Vamsi put up against former minister Devineni Uma Maheshwar Rao was actual a shadow fight against Chandrababu Naidu.

The supposed succession war between NTR Jr. and Lokesh was said to be the hidden cause of the rift between their fathers. The fathers it is said indulged in shadow boxing as they deputed their loyalists to slug it out for them. Purandeswari was dragged into the affair. As Hari Krishna declined to be a part of Chandrababu’s march against corruption and went on distributing pamphlets invoking his father’s name and announcing his own war against corruption; the media reported it as a fight between the Nandamuri family and the Nara family for the control of the party. Neither the Nara family nor those in Nandamuri family have confirmed the news. In the melee Vamsi has offered an unconditional apology to Chandrababu Naidu

If what the media that there is a war of succession in TDP is true then it makes TDP a sad place. NTR started the party as an alternative to the Congress (I) which by the early eighties legitimized “dynasty politics”. The party, while initially was helped by the charisma of NTR’s brand of cine-politics was built brick by brick in the eighties. It had a well managed network with lakhs of cadres. It was a party which attracted and placated crores of the backward caste voters, who seldom fit in the Congress (I) scheme of things. The party has contributed immensely to the nation as it strengthened the concept of federalism which led to democratization of the centre-state relationship.

However, it has not democratized itself. Chandrababu Naidu succeeded NTR. The next successors, by popular consensus seem to be either Lokesh or NTR Jr. both of whom are the grandsons of NTR. One of these two, sooner or later will replace Chandrababu as the TDP President leapfrogging lakhs of committed cadre, scores of second rung leaders. Neither NTR’s family nor the Nara family owns the TDP. For that matter the Gandhi’s do not own the Congress (I). After all political parties are not and cannot be registered as private firms under the rules of Indian constitution. That each of the parties, barring the left and the BJP is under the control of a family is unfortunate. Why cannot TDP, whose leaders speak of reforms bring in the much needed intra-party reforms and democratize it? Why cannot they have primaries in which the party cadre will decide who will head the party?

To expect that political formations that are undemocratic by choice will uphold the democratic values is naïve thinking. It is not to suggest that TDP is worse than other parties, after all each of them flout the spirit of democracy within and outside their parties. Democratization within the party leads to empowerment of cadre and would make the life of the leaders difficult. But would it not be superb for the political parties to reform themselves, hold meaningful intra party elections and let the cadre choose their leaders at the ward/ village level, district level and the state level. The approach that the parties follow today is a top down approach which is not beneficial for strengthening the party. Until the parties reform the tamasha will continue. The fight between Vallabhaneni Vamsi and Devineni Uma Maheshwar Rao is not the disease but a symptom. The cure for it does not lie in the politics of Krishna district but in the minds of men who rule over the NTR Bhavan.

Editorial by: JC