Naidu’s strategy to placate Nandamuris in Telangana fails

Hyderabad, Dec 11: Ahead of the Telangana assembly elections, Chandrababu Naidu set up a strategy to placate the Nandamuri family in a bid to avoid a possible spat with the Nara family in Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu's strategy was to ensure that the Nara family to which he belongs to rules the roost in AP, while the Nandamuris take control over Telangana.

In this regard, he decided to field Nandamuri Suhasini from the Kukatpally seat against Madhavaram Krishna Rao of the TRS. Suhasini was trailing by a massive margin and there appears to be no sign of any sort of a revival.

By fielding Suhasini, Naidu intended to settle both the Nandamuri and Nara families. While the Nara family would hold on to AP, the Nandamuris would lead the TDP in Telangana is what Naidu had planned. This was also done with an intention to ensure that Lokesh, Naidu's son would face no hurdle from the Nandamuri family in AP.

The Nandamuri family has not been on good terms with Naidu. Nandamuri Harikrishna, father of Suhasini, Jr NTR and Kalyan Ram was not on good terms with Naidu. However Naidu has tried to portray the image that all is well between the two families.

This move by Naidu also came in the wake of several party men complaining that the Telugu Desam has not focused on Telangana after the state was formed.

The Telangana State TD has been stronger in the Telangana region during the days of an undivided Andhra Pradesh. There was pressure from the party workers to either appoint Jr NTR or Lokesh's wife, Nara Bhrahmini to take care of the party's affairs in Telangana.

By bring in Suhasini, Naidu had tried to settle differences and made it clear that the Nandamuri family would call the shots in Telangana.

With Naidu promoting his son in AP, there was talk that the Nandamuri family had not taken this too lightly. Naidu had also decided that if the Prajakutami came to power, then Suhasini would be made a Cabinet minister.

However, Naidu would have another worry on his mind where AP is concerned. The huge defeats handed out to both Suhasini and the Prajakutami would make Naidu put his thinking cap on.