VIJAYAWADA: After announcing a slew of sops, the ruling TDP has decided to go into the poll mode by finalising candidates at the earliest.

The TDP politburo meeting held under the chairmanship of party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday decided to announce the first list of candidates before the Election Commission issuing notification for the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Keen on picking up winning horses, the TDP leadership will discuss the performance of leaders based on survey reports, caste equations and other details. Out of the 175 Assembly constituencies, the TDP is likely to announce candidates for more than 100 in the first list itself.

After the meeting held at the residence of Naidu in Undavalli, ministers Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Kalava Srinivasulu and Telangana TDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy briefed the media. Banking on the welfare and development schemes, the TDP is all set to make them the main poll plank.

The leadership is of the view that financial benefits from the government was extended to almost all the families in the State and several families availed themselves of benefits to a tune of several lakhs of rupees under crop redemption scheme, Pasupu Kumkuma and others.

The politburo also entrusted the responsibility of the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana with the leaders of the neighbouring State and permitted them to take decisions based on the political situation.

The politburo also decided to form Manifesto Committee and Strategy Committee.

The Manifesto Committee, to be appointed by the Chief Minister, will interact with a cross-section of people to take suggestions from them.

The Strategy Committee will review the progress of campaigns from time to time.

On the “exodus” of leaders from the TDP, the Politburo felt that leaders who joined the party before and after 2014 elections are with the party. A few leaders, who are not confident of getting party tickets, opted to join other parties and it will be a loss only for such leaders and not for the TDP, it felt.

Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao, his son KT Rama Rao and YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy were behind the TDP leaders’ defection to the Opposition party.

Ashok Gajapathi Raju skips politburo meet

Former Union minister and party senior leader P Ashok Gajapathi Raju was conspicuous by his absence at the politburo meeting which met to discuss crucial issues ahead of the elections.

The veteran TDP leader and MP also abstained from the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Bhogapuram greenfield airport attended by the Chief Minister recently.