BALAYYA TO ATTEND MODI SWEARING-IN
Hyderabad: In a development that is set to embarrass both the Telugu Desam party and its chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, fellow party leader and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna will attend the swearing-in-ceremony of Narendra Modi as Chief Minister of Gujarat on Wednesday.
In a development that will embarrass the Telugu Desam and its supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu, party leader and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna will be attending the swearing-in-ceremony of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
On Monday, Mr Modi invited the actor to his swearing-in-ceremony in his capacity as the son of N.T. Rama Rao and Balakrishna agreed to attend.
When contacted, Balakrishna’s wife Vasundhara confirmed that her husband would go to Ahmedabad on Tuesday. TD sources also confirmed the news.
Balayya’s decision to attend Gujarat CM Modi’s swearing-in is bound to leave Naidu and the TD embarrassed
In 2002, Mr Naidu had publicly accused Mr Modi of being responsible for the communal clashes and death of Muslims and had said that he be removed from the post of Gujarat Chief Minister.
After the 2004 general elections, Mr Naidu had snapped ties with the BJP, accusing it of being responsible for the communal clashes in Gujarat.
He had also stated that because of TD’s alliance with the BJP, minorities had not voted for the party which had led to its defeat.
Balakrishna’s daughter is married to Nara Lokesh, Mr Naidu's son.
The actor has lately been taking much interest in party affairs and has said that he will contest the next Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, party sources said that Mr Naidu would speak to Balakrishna to prevail upon him not to attend the ceremony.