In sharp contrast to Chiranjeevi’s public display of chief ministerial ambition, Junior NTR is silently working towards his goal of taking over the reins of Telugu Desam Party from his uncle N Chandrababu Naidu.
Slowly but surely, Junior NTR wants to achieve his goal by 2019.
Without making it very obvious, he has been discreetly making the moves to create a situation where pressure will mount from the cadre for a change of guard. A perception is being created in the party that somebody from NTR’s family should take over the party to arrest its slide.
According to sources, Junior NTR, who has earned a good reputation for his oratory skills and mass appeal, has been confiding in his close friends that he would enter active politics after a couple of years. At present, he is focusing on his film career.
Junior NTR is of the view that 2014 may still not be favourable to TDP but in the years ahead there is a bright prospect for the party’s revival. He also does not foresee any competition from Naidu’s industrialist-son Nara Lokesh for taking control of the party.
Already, there are indications of a simmering succession battle in the first family of the regional party. The rift came out in the open during the recent “Mahanadu” when Junior NTR’s father and party MP N Harikrishna walked out of the meeting in a huff, peeved over the importance being given to Lokesh.