Vijayawada: Public discussion is now focussed on constituencies where the offspring of six former CMs were candidates for the May 13 AP elections.
Eight descendants - of N.T. Rama Rao, Nadendla Bhaskar Rao, Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and N. Chandrababu Naidu - are in the fray.
In all three major parties, sons of five former CMs and an ex-CM's daughter are testing their luck. Public attention is largely focused on these constituencies while the countdown has begun for the counting of votes and declaration of results on June 4.
In some constituencies, betting is going on as to who will lose rather than win. Bookies also entered the field and started betting.
The main focus is on the Pulivendula constituency, where Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the son of former chief minister late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, is contesting. A general understanding is that he will win the polls, but many are betting on his majority in the constituency.
Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Y.S. Sharmila, the daughter of Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, entered the election ring for the first time. She has been in politics since 2019 by campaigning for Jagan Mohan Reddy, but later started the YSRTP and remained its head for some time. Later, the party was merged into the Congress and she took charge as PCC president. Sharmila is a Congress candidate for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat.
Daggubati Purandeshwari, daughter of TD founder and former CM late N.T. Rama Rao is BJP candidate in Rajamahendravaram LS constituency.
Telugu Desam general secretary Nara Lokesh, son of former CM N. Chandrababu Naidu, is candidate in Mangalagiri, where he lost the polls in 2019. He is in a tough fight with YSRC aspirant Murugudu Lavanya.
Nadendla Manohar has a good reputation as a Jana Sena leader and as a former deputy speaker. He is the son of Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, who served as the CM for some months. Manohar contested from the Tenali constituency on Jana Sena ticket in 2019 and lost. This time he faces tough competition in the constituency from YSRC candidate Annabattuni Siva Kumar.
Nandamuri Balakrishna, movie star and son of NTR, is in the ring as Telugu Desam candidate in Hindupur. Balakrishna won elections in 2014 and 2019. This time, he faced a tougher competition.
Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy is son of Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, who was CM and Kurnool MP. He joined the TD after the division of the state. This time, he is the TD candidate from Dhone Assembly constituency and facing a strong opponent, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath.
Nedurumilli Ramkumar Reddy is son of former CM, Nedurumilli Janardhan Reddy. Ramkumar Reddy joined the YSRC from the Congress. He entered the fray as a YSRC candidate in Venkatagiri Assembly constituency. TD is also strong there and has fielded two-time MLA Kurugondla Ramakrishna.
