It is a known fact that Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu had used his co-son-in-law Daggubati Venkateshwar Rao to usurp power from his father-in-law N T Rama Rao in 1995 and later sidelined him completely.
Since then, Daggubati and his wife Purandeshwari, NTR’s elder daughter, have not been in good terms with Naidu, though she continued to maintain relationship with her sister and Naidu’s wife Nara Bhuvaneshwari.
Purandeshwari never stepped into Naidu’s house, except perhaps during the family events like marriage of her nephew and Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh.
She later entered into politics, joined the Congress and grew into the level of Union minister, before defecting to the BJP, becoming its national general secretary and finally being appointed as BJP’s Andhra Pradesh unit president.
Her husband Daggubati has been very critical of Naidu, his politics and the governance and he had even written a book on Naidu’s crooked politics.
He even joined the YSR Congress party and lost the elections from Parchur assembly constituency. Later, he withdrew from politics.
Purandeshwari, who was also criticising the Naidu government in the past, started getting closer to the TDP only in the recent past, obviously in her own political interest, if not for restoration of family ties with Naidu.
She did extensive lobbying to bring about a patch-up between the BJP and the TDP and finally, succeeded in her attempt to forge an alliance. Yet, she did not come to Naidu’s residence ever. She had met him in Delhi and other venues, but not at home.
So, when Purandeshwari came to Naidu’s residence at Undavalli on Friday evening, for the first time, along with other BJP national leaders, it was an interesting scene. Naidu welcomed his sister-in-law with a bouquet and shawl and both had a hearty talk.
It is not immediately known whether Purandeshwari also had spent some time with her sister Bhuvaneshwari at Undavalli residence. So, it’s a family reunion!
