Dynasty Politics Takes Centre Stage As AP Goes to Polls, Children of Former CMS Fight for Power
Tirupati: The elections in Andhra Pradesh are presenting a clash of formidable political dynasties. Family members of two former chief ministers – late NT Rama Rao (NTR) and late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) – are leading the four major political formations in the high-stakes battle.
"Political dynasties are a well-entrenched reality in Andhra Pradesh, but only two powerful families are wielding the highest influence over the voters," notes Ramana Murthy, a political analyst. "The legacies of leaders like NTR and YSR still resonate strongly."
The Telugu Desam (TD) founded by legendary actor-turned-politician NTR on the plank of Telugu self-respect in the 1980s, has seen his family remain at the forefront of AP politics for four decades. Three generations of the family led the TD, and now one among them is leading the BJP in the state, namely Daggubati Purandeswari, daughter of NTR.
Purandeswari, who left the Congress recently to lead the state BJP, is now contesting from the Rajamahendravaram LS constituency.
NTR's son Nandamuri Balakrishna, a popular actor, is seeking re-election from Hindupur on a TD ticket.
At the helm of the TD is NTR's son-in-law Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who is shaping his son Nara Lokesh as his political successor, marking the third generation of the NTR family in the electoral fray.
Lokesh is contesting from the Mangalagiri assembly seat. Another member of the NTR clan, Balakrishna's son-in-law M Sribharat, is the TD candidate from Visakhapatnam parliamentary constituency.
On the other side of the political spectrum is the family of late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who emerged as one of Andhra Pradesh's most popular leaders through his string of welfare schemes for farmers and the poor. YSR's sudden death in a helicopter crash in 2009 saw his son YS Jagan Mohan Reddy defying the Congress leadership that did not give him prominence, and floating the YSR Congress (YSRC) party in 2010.
Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRC party swept to power in 2019, riding on his father's rich political legacy.
However, the YSR family saw cracks with Sharmila, who previously campaigned for YSRC, allegedly being sidelined. In 2021, Sharmila floated the YSR Telangana party in the neighbouring state, but it failed to click. She recently joined the Congress and has been made the AP state party president.
Claiming to be the real successor of YSR's vision, she is contesting Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. "The intra-family feud within the YSR clan has opened up the field for other players to capitalize on the vacuum," observed Murthy.
The upcoming polls are not just limited to the two dominant political families. Other scions carrying forward their fathers' legacies include Nadella Manohar, son of former CM Nadendla Bhaskar Rao, contesting for the Jana Sena from Tenali; Nedurumalli Ram Kumar, son of former CM late Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy, representing the YSRC from Venkatagiri; and Kotla Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy, son of former CM Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, who is the TD candidate from the Dhone Assembly seat.
