Ending the long suspense, the Telugu Desam chief, N. Chandrababu Naidu, gave the green signal to his brother-in-law, Nandamuri Balakrishna, to contest from Hindupur in Anantapur district. This means that yet another Telugu superstar is taking the plunge into electoral politics.
Balakrishna is the actor son of former chief minister N.T. Rama Rao (NTR). Hindupur in Rayalaseema region has always voted for NTR and the TDP ever since its inception in 1982.
NTR was elected in 1985, 1989 and 1994. His elder son Harikrishna, also an actor and a senior member of TDP's politburo, was elected in the 1996 by-polls.
It is widely believed that Naidu delayed giving the seat to Balakrishna is because he does not want to create a parallel power centre in the party. If Balakrishna (popularly known as Balayya) wins, he could challenge Naidu's power. Many in the TDP, too, prefer Balakrishna at the helm as they feel Naidu has failed to revive the TDP fortunes.
Though the actor has been campaigning for the party for several years, he had not taken the electoral plunge till now. Balakrishna's daughter Brahmani is married to Naidu's son Lokesh and so family ties are also strong.
Andhra Pradesh politics opened up to cine glamour ever since NTR formed the TDP on the plank of Telugu atma gauravam (self-respect) and stormed to power within nine months of floating the party. He was dethroned by Naidu, his younger son-in-law, in a midnight political coup in August 1995.
Seemandhra, comprising Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions, is going to polls on May 7. Balakrishna will file his nomination papers on April 16 amid much fanfare; massive rally is being planned in Hindupur to accompany him.
Ever since Naidu lost power in 2004, he has been making conscious efforts to get closer to NTR's family. He succeeded in winning back some favour in the family after his son married Balakrishna's daughter.
But the relationship between NTR's elder son Harikrishna and Naidu has remained strained over the issue of who should inherit the party leadership.
While Harikrishna has been pitching for his actor-son Junior NTR to take over the reins of the party, a move that threatens Naidu's undisputed hold over the party, Naidu is grooming his son Lokesh for the future role in the party.
Chances are that Harikrishna might be fielded from Penamaluru Assembly seat in Krishna district.
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