HYDERABAD: Desperate to return to power in Andhra Pradesh and to counter Telugu superstar-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu has roped in the family members of party founder and his father-in-law N.T. Rama Rao to campaign for the party.
NTR’s sons N. Harikrishna and N. Balakrishna, and grandsons and young actors Junior NTR and Kalyanram yesterday met Naidu at the latter’s residence to discuss the strategy to counter the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) launched by Chiranjeevi last month.
Balakrishna, a popular actor, and Junior NTR and Kalyanram agreed to campaign for TDP to help it come back to power in the state. Harikrishna is already active in the party as general secretary and Rajya Sabha member.
Naidu hosted lunch for the four members of NTR family at his residence. Balakrishna, whose daughter was married to Naidu’s son last year, played a key role in facilitating the crucial meeting, the second in four months.
According to TDP sources, it was decided that Balakrishna, Junior NTR and Kalyanram would unveil statues of NTR at different places and using their star appeal address public meetings to highlight the ideals of the party founder.
Chiranjeevi is trying to repeat the feat of NTR, who came to power within nine months of floating the TDP in 1982.
Amar Singh’s feeler
Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh and party MPs Jayaprada and Jaya Bachchan yesterday called on Chiranjeevi to greet him on his entry into politics but said the question of an electoral alliance was not discussed. “Chiranjeevi is like a family member to us and we have come here to greet him as personal friends and not as politicians,” Amar Singh told the media after half-an-hour-long meeting with the PRP president.
Amar Singh, however, did not rule out the possibility of an electoral alliance between his party and the PRP in Andhra Pradesh.
