Chandrababu Naidu and Co-Brother Reconcile After 30 Years
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Synopsis
On March 6, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his co-brother Daggubati Venkateswara Rao met publicly for the first time in three decades, deciding to put aside their past conflicts during the launch of a book.
Key Takeaways
- Chandrababu Naidu and Daggubati Venkateswara Rao reconciled after 30 years.
- The event was the launch of Venkateswara Rao's book 'Prapancha Charitra'.
- Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended.
- The rift dates back to a political conflict in the 1990s.
- Family ties between their wives remained strong despite the feud.
Visakhapatnam, March 6 (NationPress) After a span of thirty years, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his co-brother Daggubati Venkateswara Rao reunited on Thursday, sharing the stage and opting to mend their fractured relationship.
The sons-in-law of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder and former chief minister N. T. Rama Rao (NTR) embraced each other following Venkateswara Rao's appeal to Chandrababu Naidu to let go of past grievances and foster goodwill.
The event marked the launch of Venkateswara Rao’s book ‘Prapancha Charitra’ (world history), attended by former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari, who is also Venkateswara Rao’s wife.
“As everyone is aware, that’s history and it’s behind us now. I commend him for all his contributions and wish him the very best for the future,” the former MP stated while addressing Chandrababu Naidu.
As Venkateswara Rao concluded his speech and returned to his seat, Chandrababu Naidu rose to embrace him, drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience.
In his address, Chandrababu Naidu commended Venkateswara Rao for his literary work, expressing surprise at the depth of his insights.
The rift between the co-brothers traces back to the 1990s when Chandrababu Naidu spearheaded a rebellion against NTR to ascend as chief minister of the then united Andhra Pradesh.
Initially supporting Chandrababu Naidu, Venkateswara Rao later returned to align with NTR.
Following NTR’s passing a few months after the uprising, Venkateswara Rao remained affiliated with NTR TDP (LP), led by NTR’s second spouse, Lakshmi Parvathi. In 1999, he joined Anna TDP, established by NTR’s son Harikrishna. After the party faced a dismal defeat, he distanced himself from politics for several years. In 2004, alongside his wife, he joined the Congress party at the behest of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
While Purandeswari, who secured Lok Sabha seats twice on a Congress ticket and served as a minister in the UPA government, shifted allegiance to the BJP in 2014 following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Venkateswara Rao joined the YSR Congress Party.
A former member of the Rajya Sabha, Venkateswara Rao was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on a Congress ticket from Parchur in both 2004 and 2009. He has refrained from active politics since his defeat in 2019 as a YSR Congress candidate from the same constituency.
Despite their differences and a thirty-year absence from public appearances together, Purandeswari and her sister Bhuvaneswari (Naidu’s wife) have upheld familial bonds.
