Telugu Desam Rajya Sabha MP YV Chowdary is making all the noises that suggest he is heading towards the exit route. In an interview to Telugu TV channel NTV, Chowdary blamed the humiliating defeat of the TDP to lack of connect between the leadership and the party cadre. 

“All the decision-making was centralised. Politburo meetings were polite bureau meetings. Naidu trusted machines more than men,” said Chowdary. 

The former Union minister of State was also critical of the closeness to the Congress at the national level and Naidu’s political strategy.

“Moving close to a party (Congress) that does not even exist in Andhra Pradesh and fighting against a party (BJP) that is also not a competitor proved costly,” he said. 

TDP leaders are known to be a disciplined lot and do not speak out of turn. Which is why Chowdary’s bout of outspokenness gives rise to suspicion if he is packing his bags and about to leave. 

“No, I have said this to Naidu even before. Especially about the Special Category status. I told him to stick to the special financial package given by the Centre but Naidu made it a big issue. I also advised him against quitting the NDA and just restrict to withdrawing TDP’s two ministers (Chowdary and Ashok Gajapathi Raju) from the ministry. But he did not listen and moved a no-confidence motion against the Modi government,” said Chowdary. 

Chowdary has been under pressure due to CBI and Income Tax raids on various firms with which he was actively associated in the past. 

“If I take a decision, I will go only after informing Chandrababu Naidu. I used to say this before also that I will respect Narendra Modi as the PM of India but my leader and political guru is Chandrababu Naidu,” said Chowdury.

If Chowdary quits, it will be a blow to Naidu because he was pretty much handling the Delhi end for the TDP along with another Rajya Sabha MP CM Ramesh and former MP K Rammohan Rao.