With rumours of more Telugu Desam leaders packing their bags to heads towards film star Chiranjeevi's camp or the ruling Congress party, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to cut short his Mee Kosam Yatra and return to the base in Hyderabad.
While the 150-day-long Yatra was scheduled to culminate in Tirupati, it will now end on the 110th day in Anantapur with a public meeting.
Naidu decided to cut the Yatra by 40 days after discussions with senior party leaders from Nalgonda. The TDP president resumed his Yatra on Thursday after a five-day stay in New Delhi for the confidence vote.
According to the party sources, senior leaders urged Naidu not to remain away from Hyderabad for another 50 days, as his presence was necessary to stem the desertions.
Naidu agreed to end his yatra after covering Ranga Reddy, Mehbubnagar, Kurnool and Kadapa districts with a big public meeting in Anantapur in second week of August. The party is planning to invite Bahujan Samaj Party president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, the leaders of Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India-Marxist to make it an important event at the national level.
Naidu has already covered all 23 districts of the state and he is into the second phase of his journey covering the other parts of the same districts.
Ever since Naidu started his Yatra in May, several leaders have left the TDP to join the proposed party of film star Chiranjeevi while the second-most important leader T Devender Goud floated his own Nava Telangana Praja Party to fight for a Telangana state.
Those left to join Chiranjeevi's party include Rajya Sabha member C Ramchandraiah, former MLAs Venkatramanna Reddy, Khaleel Basha and Shobha Nagi Rdddy and former member of Lok Sabha Bhuma Nagi Reddy.
Former minister and senior party leader K Vidyadhar Rao was suspended from the party for pro-Chiranjeevi statements and more recently a rebel member of Lok Sabha M Jagannatham was expelled from the party for supporting the UPA government on nuclear deal. Another MP Aadikesavulu Naidu is also likely to join Chiranjeevi.
"We are facing one of the worst crises," admitted a senior party leader from Telangana region, adding, "It would be a grave mistake if Babugaru remains away from Hyderabad and party headquarters for such a long time."
Party leaders are expecting Naidu to talk to possible rebels and persuade them to stay with the party and also take a major policy decision in favour of Telangana state to open the way for tie up with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
Party sources say the recent developments have demoralized the party rank and file.