After an emotional press meet held by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Chandrababu Naidu on Friday, November 19, members of the Nandamuri family including Balakrishna, Ramakrishna and Chaitanya Krishna held a meeting of their own in solidarity. The meeting came a day after Chandrababu Naidu broke down on camera over the continuous humiliation he said he faced at the hands of the ruling YSRCP.
The Nandamuri family, at a heated press meet at their residence on Saturday, condemned YSRCP MLAs’ remarks against Naidu’s wife Bhuvaneshwari. They threatened the YSRCP with harsh action for making such comments in the future. “We are not here sitting calm. If you don't change, we will bend your necks and make you change. Just because you (YSRCP) have a majority, we will not accept whatever comments you make,” Balakrishna Nandamuri, popular actor and TDP Hindupur MLA said. “It's only because of Chandrababu that we have remained calm, but there is a limit. We do not not need his permission anymore. Talk about the issues that the state is facing, don't drag women into politics. Be careful and hold your tongue. We will not tolerate such comments anymore, this is a final warning,” he threatened.
Warning YSRCP leaders, Nandamuri Ramakrishna Jr said that they have “crossed the limits”. “Don’t make personal comments over personal issues. Don’t test our patience. If you cross the limits, we will cross them too. These kinds of comments should not be repeated,” he said.
Other members of the Nandamuri family, to whom Chandrababu Naidu’s wife Bhuvaneshwari belongs, expressed sadness at the “scandalous” comments made against her by YSRCP MLA Gannavaram Vallabhaneni Vamsi. They also said that, even though she never entered politics, her name was being dragged into political issues. Chaitanya Krishna said that Chief Minister Jagan must take notice of the issue and address it.
The war of words was triggered after Vamsi, in an interview with Sakshi TV in October, said, “He (Lokesh) doesn’t take after his father." He went on to suggest that Lokesh 'inherited' Alimineti Madhava Reddy’s features. Madhava Reddy, a four time MLA and minister, was killed in a landmine blast by the People's War Group near Ghatkesar in 2000.