HYDERABAD: The much-awaited meeting of the TDP to take stock of political situation in Telangana after the Karimnagar byelection began and ended on a tame note here on Thursday with party president N. Chandrababu Naidu preferring to keep all options open.

Sources said former Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav tried to perk up the staid proceedings by arguing that there was no Telangana sentiment and by taking pot-shots at leaders who met at Yadagirigutta recently. But Mr. Naidu intervened to stop him, saying these leaders had kept him informed.

Mr. Naidu was non-committal and did not refer to the churning in the party over Telangana sentiment. The idea appeared to be to adopt a wait and watch policy till the next election. He wanted party leaders from the region not to get unnecessarily worried by the TRS victory in Karimnagar, it is reliably learnt.

People's issues

Instead, Mr. Naidu wanted the party to focus on issues affecting people of the region to move closer to them and neutralise the effect of the TRS.

He is believed to have told them that while anti-incumbency would work to the advantage of the party in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, the party would have to work a little hard for winning the confidence of voters in Telangana.

Erraballi lone voice

Sources said party's senior leaders who attended the Yadagirigutta meeting and were lobbying for a change in party's strategy remained calm for most part of the meeting, hearing to what Mr. Naidu had to say. Only when Mr. Yadav spoke strongly, one of them Erraballi Dayakar Rao is stated to have objected.

Mr. Yadav argued that if the Telangana sentiment was at work in Karimnagar, the Congress and the TDP would not have polled 1.76 lakh and 1.70 lakh votes respectively. Senior legislator Ch. Rajeswara Rao, too, felt that there was no need for any change in party's stand.

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