TDP extends invitation to Jr NTR for NT Rama Rao's centenary celebrations

AMARAVATI: Ending the speculation, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has invited actor Jr NTR to the late chief minister NT Rama Rao’s centenary celebrations to be organised in Hyderabad.
A commemorative meeting will be held at Kukatpally in Hyderabad on May, 20. This is the first time the TDP extended an invitation to Junior NTR for a programme organised by the party in the recent past.
The actor, who campaigned for the party in the 2009 assembly elections, has been keeping away from political activities to focus on his career in films. It is, however, still unclear whether NTR would campaign for the party in the next elections.
However, the TDP activists and hero’s fans were vertically divided on social media platforms and crossing swords at each other. The campaign further intensified after the party hosted NTR centenary meeting near Vijayawada by inviting Tamil superstar Rajinikanth.
While Naidu’s followers allege that Jr, NTR had been discretely extending support to YSRCP thanks to his association with former minister Kodali Nani, the hero’s fans criticize TDP leadership for deliberately sidelining NTR for fear of losing the grip of over the party.
TDP has planned to organise about 100 meetings to commemorate the centenary celebrations of the late chief minister and party founder NT Rama Rao.
Apparently taking note of the sentiments of the party activists into consideration, the TDP has decided to invite Junior NTR to one of the meetings.
The party souvenir committee chaired by party supremo Chandrababu Naidu met in Hyderabad on Monday and discussed the issue of extending invitations to the NTR family members.
Following the advice of Naidu, Tollywood hero and legislator Nandamuri Balakrishna and his brother Ramakrishna have agreed to coordinate the Hyderabad meeting.
Subsequently, souvenir committee convenor and former MLC TD Janardhan and Nandamuri Ramakrishna visited junior NTR’s residence and extended the invitation.
The hero actor also agreed to release a special edition on NTR-Saka Purushudu and launch a website Jaya Ho NTR on the occasion.
The souvenir committee members have also met former Union minister Daggubati Purandeswari, Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, Jayakrishna, Mohan Krishna, Garapati Lokeswari, Kantamaneni Umasrinivas Prasad, Nandamuri Kalyana Chakravarthi and other family members to the event.