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NTR's second daughter may join politics

Shireen in Hyderabad

Yet another family member of late Telugu Desam Party founder Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao is poised to join politics.

NTR's second daughter Daggubati Purandeswari is all set to join the fledgling Anna-Telugu Desam Party, started by her brother Nandamuri Harikrishna.

According to ATDP sources, Purandeswari, wife of Rajya Sabha member Daggubati Venkateswara Rao, will formally announce her decision to join politics in the next few weeks.

At present, four family members of NTR are in politics. They are two sons-in-law -- Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, ATDP leader and MP Daggubati Venkateswara Rao -- son and ATDP founder Harikrishna and second wife and NTR-TDP president N Lakshmi Parvathi.

NTR's eldest son, Nandamuri Jayakrishna, dabbled in politics for a brief while and unsuccessfully contested the 1996 Lok Sabha elections from Srikakulam constituency on a NTR-TDP ticket. He is politically inactive now.

The ATDP is also trying to rope in actor and Rajya Sabha member Mohan Babu, who was expelled from the Telugu Desam Party a couple of years ago. He canvassed for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the February 1998 Lok Sabha elections.

Former minister and Anantapur strongman Paritala Ravindra (alias Ravi) is expected to lend support to the ATDP. It was Ravi who had facilitated Harikrishna's easy win from Hindupur in the 1996 assembly bypolls necessitated by NTR's demise.

Presently, the ATDP has two Rajya Sabha members -- Dr Venkateswara Rao and Dr Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad -- and an MLA, S Madhusudhana Chary.

Several NTR-TDP leaders have joined the ATDP after its launch on January 27 this year.

Several influential leaders from the TDP, including several MLAs and former MPs, are reportedly in touch with the ATDP. "They will make their move at the right time," ATDP sources said.

According to Dr Lakshmi Prasad, the ATDP will work out its strategy for the ensuing Lok Sabha and state assembly elections at its state-level convention in Hyderabad on May 10.

The convention will also discuss the issue of forging a third front in the state in alliance with the two Left parties -- the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India-Marxist.

After the convention, Harikrishna will resume his tour of Krishna, Guntur and Khammam districts.

On April 9, Harikrishna was forced to abruptly cut short his pre-poll tour of north coastal Andhra due to severe backache. ATDP sources said he 'is perfect' now.

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