HYDERABAD: A day after the election results were out, Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu was in a mood for introspection. He said the party was making a thorough analysis of the verdict and identifying and rectifying shortcomings.

The TDP chief admitted that a leadership crisis led to the party's undoing in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram Zilla Parishads whereas large-scale deletion of voters from electoral rolls led to the party's debacle in Prakasam and Guntur districts. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Naidu said his party would seek to overcome all obstacles by the next general elections due in 2009.

To a question, he said his party's Khammam district unit was in contact with CPI - ML (New Democracy) seeking the support of its two members for the TDP-CPI (M) combine in the election of the Zilla Parishad chairman on July 10.

`Money pumped in'

Mr. Naidu accused the Congress of focussing attention on constituencies represented by TDP MLAs and MPs to ensure their defeat. The Congress had pumped in huge sums of money in these places to demoralise the TDP cadre, he alleged.

The ruling party tried every trick in the book to win the elections. Its efforts continued till the counting of votes and there were instances of malpractice even in re-counting, he claimed. In one place, the votes polled by a TDP candidate were added to the tally of his Congress rival, he alleged.

In spite of such violations the people plumped for TDP, particularly in Anantapur where 36 party cadre were killed in two years of Congress rule. The voters proved that the Congress could not alter the people's verdict with threats or by distributing money and liquor.

Increased responsibility

Mr. Naidu added that the results had increased the responsibility of the party leaders. They would have to work on how to strengthen the organisation. The leadership would study district specific reasons for the results and plan programmes for the good of the people. Referring to the gram panchayat elections, he demanded greater devolution of powers to village bodies.

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