The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Role cut out for Nandamuri Balakrishna

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Thursday, May 29, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Role cut out for Nandamuri Balakrishna

Special Correspondent

Daggubati against Balakrishna and Junior NTR’s support to Telugu Desam Party

— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

Paying tributes: Family members of TDP founder N.T Rama Rao led by Balakrishna at NTR memorial on the occasion of TDP founder’s birth anniversary in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: Telugu film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna on Wednesday made it clear that his entry into politics for now was confined to campaigning for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the 2009 Assembly elections.

At a press conference, Mr. Balakrishna kept up his smile all through while responding to an array of questions, some in a detailed manner and avoiding inconvenient ones.

He interacted with media, taking time off from a blood donation camp at Indo- American Cancer Centre, organised to mark his father and TDP founder N. T. Rama Rao’s 86th birth anniversary. He was there along with his other family members, including his elder brother-in-law Daggubati Venkateswara Rao.

But Dr. Venkateswara Rao differed with NTR family’s effort to support TDP. He told press persons that he had attended the function on an invitation from Mr. Balakrishna and as it was held by Basavatharakam Trust.

He would not shed a drop of blood if it were for the NTR Trust. Though in not so many words, he disapproved of Mr. Balakrishna and Junior NTR’s support to the TDP, saying it was better for those shining in a particular field to stick to it. Mr. Balakrishna said he had not yet taken a decision on contesting in the elections. But asked to comment on his description as “future chief minister” by his fans and that he was entering politics at the instance of the TDP president and his brother-in-law N. Chandrababu Naidu, he said it was his life and he would have to take a decision. Refusing to comment on the impending entry of ‘mega star’ Chiranjeevi into politics, he described him as “good friend” and that there was nothing wrong in his plan to enter politics. Although he declined to say anything on the performance of Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and separate Telangana, he said he felt that the incumbency factor would work against the government and help TDP return to power. On whether he would persuade his sister and Union Minister Purandeswari to join the TDP, Mr. Balakrishna said she was free to take her own decision.

Though they were in different political parties, the objective of serving the people remained the same, Mr. Balakrishna said.

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