Fact Sheet: TD looks to NRIs for poll plan

Former chief minister and Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu is seeking information on good governance and better political practices in foreign countries from Telugus living there. Mr Naidu will send email messages to about six lakh Telugu-speaking people living in 104 countries to brush up his knowledge on the methods adopted by governments and politicians in those countries to better the living standards of people. Based on the feedback, he will come out with an "action plan" before the next State Assembly elections.

To enable the Telugus to interact with him easily, the TD supremo on Saturday launched a special interactive website. However, the Telugu-speaking NRIs will have to shell down $10 to register with the website, www.nritdp.org to post their comments. "We have Andhras spread around the globe. They hold prime positions in many countries. We are asking information from them so that we can implement here some of the good practices adopted in those countries," Mr Naidu pointed out.

According to NTR Bhavan sources, Mr Naidu plans to project a "new image" to the Telugu Desam. He has also set up a "knowledge forum" for exchange of information between NRIs and Telugu Desam leaders on various subjects of public importance. The TD leader has projected himself on the NRI website as a farmer ploughing fields with two bullocks. This is quite in contrast with his earlier projection in the West as the chief executive officer of Andhra Pradesh.