The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which is ruling Andhra Pradesh currently under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu, is mulling to spread its political network in Odisha.
The TDP is encouraged to spread its wing in neigbouring States after it grabbed two seats in the local body elections in Port Blair, the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, recently.
The party is eying on about 30 lakh Telugu-speaking people living in Chhatrapur, Brahmapur, Paralakhemundi, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Jeypore in Odisha. Besides, a good number of people are also living in Cuttack city.
Senior TDP leader Gorle Haribabu Naidu said he has suggested to TDP national president Chandrababu Naidu to expand party activities to Odisha.
“There are ample opportunities for the TDP to win some seats in Odisha too, if the party contests the next election in the neighbouring State,” the TDP leader said.
GH Naidu said the TDP Andhra Pradesh State committee president Kala Venkata Rao is in touch with some south Odisha leaders for the purpose.
TDP State president PV Ramana and general secretary Boina Govinda Rajulu said the party happens to be strong in Srikakulam district with the support of settlers from Odisha there.
“TDP will have a national outlook if it has presence in Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar,” they said.
They also said that some parties in Odisha may join hands with the TDP to win the support of Telugu people in different Assembly segments.
Notably, the Trinamool Congress had fielded candidates in some Assembly seats in northern Odisha during the last general election. However, the candidates lost their security deposits getting negligible number of votes.