Will NTR Jr be TDP’s trump card?

VV Balakrishna
First Published : 30 Jan 2010 08:36:03 AM IST
Last Updated : 30 Jan 2010 11:36:29 AM IST

HYDERABAD,: Telugu Desam party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu, it appears, is laying a strong foundation for the future of the party. He is `building bridges’ with the NTR family with a longterm perspective to sustain the party in the State.

The regional party, founded 29 years ago, has seen several highs and lows during its chequered history. Now, remaining in the Opposition for the second consecutive term, the party needs a fresh appeal and approach to reach out to people. The Young Turks, who joined the party at the time of its inception, are past their prime now. Thus the party badly needs young blood and faces with some glamour that could fetch it votes. The deadwood in the party is no longer able to deliver at the time of elections.

As part of its efforts to sustain the party in the next three decades, Naidu is making all-out efforts to revive his `bond’ with NTR family.

He married off his only son Nara Lokesh to NTR’s granddaughter Brahmani. By consummating the marriage, Naidu moved close to film hero and Brahmani’s father Balakrishna.

Naidu inducted NTR’s another son Harikrishna into the party and made him a Member of Rajya Sabha. Now, he has fixed the marriage of NTR Jr to Lakshmi Pranati, the daughter of his niece.

Besides building bonds with NTR’s family, Naidu is also promoting his son Lokesh as an entrepreneur.

Lokesh has recently bought some stakes in a regional news channel and made a friend of his the CEO of the channel.

A look-alike of his grandfather, NTR Jr has a long career and bright future in the film industry.

He campaigned for the TDP in the recent Assembly elections.

``Like NTR Sr, NTR Jr too has a good fan following. NTR Sr united the people of Andhra Pradesh with his charisma. We badly need such a personality in the party now,’’ says a young MLA from Telangana. Only the young and popular actor can lift the party out of the morass it finds itself in and ensure a good future for it, he hopes fondly.