He used his recent Vijayawada tour and the ‘Baadshah’ audio launch functions to show his strength. But to whom he wants to show the strength, to Nandamuri family or Nara Chandra Babu Naidu or the general public is the question being discussed in film as well as political circles now. It is being said that he chose to prove his strength as he was not getting the prominence he deserved in the TDP.
It is learnt that hero Bala Krishna, son of late NTR instructed the TDP ranks not to associate with Jr. NTR when he visited Vijayawada in connection with a private programme two days ago. NTR also made his fans put up banners with the pictures of his grand father NTR and himself, carefully avoiding the pictures of Bala Krishna and Chandrababu Naidu. It was then discussed that NTR wanted to tell the people that he was the real heir and inheritor of the great Nandamuri clan.
For Badshah audio launch, NTR reportedly made ‘Baadshah’ producer Bandla Ganesh and his fans organize a gathering of more than 25,000 people at the Rama Naidu Studio. This has however caused a stampede and became a black mark on the organizers. Bandla Ganesh and others are now facing police cases.
Reports have been doing the rounds that Jr. NTR’s father Hari Krishna wanted the TDP’s reins to pass into the hands of his son and not Chandrababu’s son Lokesh. Hari Krihna wanted someone from only the Nandamuri family to be at the helm of affairs of the TDP after CBN.
However, Naidu has been grooming Lokesh, his own son and the son-in-law of Bala Krishna for the post. As Lokesh is his daughter’s husband, Bala Krishna is also supporting him.
NTR has been having grudge against the Nandamuri family. As his mother Shalini is the second wife of Hari Krishna, she was never allowed to mix with Nandamuri family members. It was said that Junior set a condition that his mother should be treated as a family member, when he was asked to campaign for the TDP in the 2009 elections. It was later seen that Jr. NTR and his mother were integrated into the family. All the Nandamuri family members attended his marriage and he too was seen in family functions.
However, differences once again sprouted when Jr. NTR’s protégé Kodali Nani, TDP MLA of Gudivada left the party and joined the YSR Congress.
If he had silently joined the YSRC, it would have been different. But he chose to criticize Chandrababu in very harsh terms. Nandamuri and Nara families concluded that it was NTR who was behind Nani’s actions.
Naidu gave the Gudivada seat at the intervention of NTR, denying the ticket to the Ravi family which has been loyal to the party.
Now it is being said that NTR is keen on political entry and to snatch the TDP leadership, if possible. Sources in the film industry say that he wants to become the Chief Minister of the state by 2019. He would even launch his own party if he was not given a rightful place in TDP, they say. This is the reason why NTR has decided to show his strength to Chandrababu and Bala Krishna say sources.
