NTR's grand-daughter receives family support for Telangana Assembly bid

TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao's grand-daughter N. Suhasini, who is contesting the next month's elections to Telangana Assembly, on Saturday received support from her brothers and popular Telugu actors Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram and uncle and veteran actor N. Balakrishna.

Suhasini, the daughter of late N. Harikrishna, is contesting from Kukatpally Assembly constituency in Hyderabad as a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate.

Harikrishna, a leader of TDP and former minister and former MP, died in a road accident on August 29.

Balakrishna, Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram are likely to campaign for Suhasini in Kuktpally, a constituency with large chunk of 'settlers', as people from Andhra Pradesh are usually called.

Accompanied by Balakrishna, Suhasini on Saturday visited NTR Ghat here to pay tribute to her grandfather before filing her nomination.

"I am entering the public life with the blessings of my grandfather, father and uncle and I seek the support of Telugu women," she told reporters.

Balakrishna said Suhasini will be carrying forward their ideals. He appealed to people to support her the way they had been supporting TDP. He urged youth, fans and party workers to come together and ensure Suhasini's victory with a huge majority, saying this would be the best tribute they can pay to Harikrishna.

Meanwhile, junior NTR and Kalyan Ram also expressed their best wishes for their sister's victory.

They said in a joint statement that the TDP is a sacred organisation for them as their grandfather founded the party with the belief that people are god.

The young actors said that their family believes that woman should play an important role in the society. "Our sister wants to serve the people with the same spirit. We wish her all the best," they said.

The TDP, which is the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh, is contesting Telangana polls in alliance with Congress and two other parties.

Elections to 119-member Telangana Assembly are scheduled on December 7. The TDP has been allotted 14 seats under a seat sharing agreement in 'Mahakutami' or grand alliance led by Congress party.

TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu picked Suhasini as the party candidate for Kukatpally, a seat won by the party in the 2014 elections.

--IANS

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