Balakrishna to contest in 2009 Elections

Actor Nandamuri Balakrishna declared that he is ready to contest the coming Assembly elections as a Telugu Desam candidate. He said it is up to the TD high command to decide on whether to give him a ticket or a party post. Speaking to a local news channel here, Balakrishna said he would wait for an appropriate time to formally announce his entry into politics.

Balakrishna, who with his brother, Mr Nandamuri Harikrishna, has been convinced by the Telugu Desam chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, to put aside bitter differences and support the latter’s Mee Kosam rath yatra, addressed a public meeting organised by the TD before unveiling a statue of his father, the late N.T. Rama Rao, at the mandal headquarters of G. Konduru near here.

The event was loaded with political significance as TD men joined hands with the actor’s fans. Till now, TD activists never worked with Balakrishna or his aides. According to sources, TD leaders had planned to hold a big rally to mark the occasion. Responding to a question, Balakrishna refused to give his views on superstar Chiranjeevi’s launch of a political party, saying only, “Everybody has the right to float a party.”