TDP has an indelible mark in people's hearts, says Naidu

Amaravati: TDP has left an indelible mark on the masses due to its commitment to serve the people, TDP national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Saturday.

Wishing party leaders and activists on the occasion of 43rd party foundation day, he profusely thanked all those people and ardent supporters of the party who took an active part in its activities.

In a teleconference with over 60,000 TDP leaders and activists, the party supremo felt that though various sections of people celebrate different festivals, all the people celebrate the only festival is TDP Formation Day. The party has left an indelible mark in the hearts of the people, Naidu said.

"I bow my head before all the leaders and activists and salute those who have been sailing with the party for the past four decades," he declared.

Informing the leaders and activists that the TDP is moving ahead with certain principles which no other party has, he said that "we have been marching forward not for power or posts but with the sole aim of taking the Telugu community to much ahead of all and that the people should be first."

Acknowledging that TDP has taken birth from the hardships of the people, he recalled that "the party founder, late NT Rama Rao, had moved forward with the slogan of self-respect while I marched ahead with self-confidence."

Admitting that the TDP got strengthened by the day only due to the hard work of the party activists, the Chief Minister felt that the yellow flag is an inspiration. The Telugu community should be viewed as pre and post formation of the TDP, Naidu said that the party stood solidly behind all the backward classes by bringing in social reforms.

After becoming the Chief Minister NTR had introduced various welfare programmes like Rs.2-a-kg rice, pension, Janata Clothes and Pucca Houses, he said and felt that it was NTR who ushered in the welfare era in the whole country. Besides doing away with the Patel-Patwari System in Telangana, it was the TDP that brought in reservations for women in education and jobs besides share in properties.

"We have provided opportunities taking advantage of technology and also developed the State in all sectors. Despite being a regional party, the TDP played a very crucial role at national-level which is a pride for the whole Telugu community," Naidu said. The reason as to why the TDP could stand firmly after facing several challenges, ups and downs during this 43-year-long journey is because of the sacrifices and struggles of party activists, the TDP supremo acknowledged.

Party activists did not get scared of creating terror, physical attacks, threats, atrocities and arrests after 2019 and even did not desert the party flag, Naidu said and admitted that the party is proud of those activists who sacrificed their lives raising the slogan of 'Jai Telugu Desam' when literally knives were kept on their throats.

Expressing concern that the party has lost several leaders like Paritala Ravi, Yerran Naidu, Lal John Basha, Balayogi and Dr Kodela Siva Prasad, in these 43 years of history, the party supremo said that sacrifices and waging battles are nothing new to the TDP. "The cadre solidly stood by the TDP," he added.

Announcing that the Mahanadu is going to be organised at Kadapa this year, Naidu, recalling the slogan of late NTR that the party always should stand by the poor, said that the P-4 programme is being launched as part of achieving this goal. The primary objective of this programme is that those who are economically sound can extend a helping hand to the downtrodden sections of society for their elevation.

Naidu admitted that one crore membership is an extraordinary record and said that the party is standing by the activists with Rs.5 crore accidental insurance. "I am not only sending formation day wishes to the activists but also I will be indebted to them for the rest of my life. I will solidly stand by the party activists as an elder of their families," he said and admitted that it is only the activists that always protect the party.