Yellow brigade gears up to follow its pol(l)e stars

V V Balakrishna
First Published : 02 Mar 2009 04:01:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 02 Mar 2009 01:22:14 PM IST

HYDERABAD: As the announcement of the election schedule is likely any day, the TDP has decided to fully utilise the services of actors NTR Jr and Balakrishna.

Both will launch their campaigns from Andhra region this month. NTR Jr will kickstart his first-ever political campaign from Itchapuram, Srikakulam district, on March 12. He will stay overnight on March 11 at Nimmakur in Krishna district, the birth place of TDP founder NT Ramarao.

The next day, he will garland NTR’s statue in Nimmakur.

From there, he will reach Itchapuram by a chopper where he will launch his campaign on a specially-decorated ratham. According to TDP sources, NTR Jr will continue his campaign continuously for 40 days.

The TDP leaders are upbeat now as there were doubts earlier over his intentions __ the film star had skipped Yuva Garjana in Guntur. Meanwhile, Balakrishna, son of NTR, will launch his second leg of campaign from Tada in Nellore district on March 8. It is not clear if he too will continue his campaign till the elections.

Balakrishna had already toured Rayalaseema last month. However, the TDP leaders are pinning hopes on NTR Jr to draw crowds to their meetings. The TDP is strategically using the services of both the actors in the Andhra region. This is to neutralise the impact of Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam which has made inroads in several Andhra districts. As the impact of PRP is being felt in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and the twin Godavari districts, the TDP wants NTR Jr to start his campaign from Itchapuram and turn the tide of popular support in favour of the TDP. Later, Balakrishna will tour the north Andhra districts.