VIJAYAWADA: As part of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of NT Rama Rao, a book, comprising the powerful speeches of the TDP founder and former chief minister, was released at an event organised by Telugu Desam in Poranki on Friday.
Superstar Rajinikanth attended the event as the chief guest. Members of the Nandamuri family, including actor and Hindupur MLA Balakrishna, also took part. However, NTR’s daughter Daggubati Purandeswari and grandson Jr NTR did not attend the event.
Following this, rumours began doing the rounds that the TDP did not invite the duo. It may be noted that this is the third major event held as part of NTR’s birth centenary celebrations.
There have been reports stating that Jr NTR was being sidelined ever since Nara scion Lokesh made his entry into politics. The actor, too, distanced himself from the party affairs after RRR fame. “Naidu personally invited Rajinikanth for the event but not Jr NTR,” a senior TDP leader told TNIE.
Rajinikanth all praise for Naidu’s vision to develop IT sector
Another section of party leaders is of the view that Jr NTR might not have been invited due to his ‘busy schedule’ as well as Purandeswari, who belonged to a different party. Meanwhile, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu reiterated that the Bharat Ratna Award should be conferred on NTR. Speaking at the event, he said that 10 crore people of the Telugu diaspora will continue to raise the demand until it is fulfilled. Naidu stated that a memorial for NTR would be constructed and an action plan for the same would be announced at Mahanadu, the TDP’s annual conclave, which would be organised in Rajamahendravaram in the last week of May.
Calling NTR the pride of India, Naidu said that the TDP founder was not an individual, but an energy. “NTR did not enter politics for power, but to bring a change in the national politics and to safeguard the self-interest of Telugu. He should be given the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna,” he emphasised.
Rajini was all praise for both NTR and Naidu. He said though he did not want to speak on politics, Naidu’s presence necessitated it. Mentioning that the TDP chief and he have been friends for three decades, Rajini said Naidu was well aware of Indian and world politics.
Describing Naidu as a visionary, he said, “Several big leaders across the nation are aware of his capabilities. In 1996, he came up with Vision 2020 and developed Hyderabad as Hitech City.” Sharing his experience from his recent visit to Hyderabad, Rajini said when he had gone out for a walk in the city at night, he felt like he was in New York.
He recalled that when no one knew about information technology, Naidu believed in the sector’s capability and developed Hyderabad as an IT hub. “People like Bill Gates have applauded Naidu. Now, lakhs of Telugu people are working in the IT industry across the world because of Naidu,” the superstar observed.
Recounting the influence NTR had on him, the Superstar said he was mesmerised after watching Pathala Bhairavi. He revealed that one of the two occasions he had jumped with joy was when NTR won the election with a huge majority.