The practice of dynastic politics is not new to Andhra Pradesh. According to a recently conducted study, 38 families are dominating the politics of Andhra Pradesh for over a decade. The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh has brought no change. Instead, it empowered a few more families.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao was the lone member to enter politics. He contested and won from both Siddipet Assembly and Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat in 2004 elections. By retaining Karimnagar, he nominated his nephew T Harish Rao from Siddipet in by-elections. Later, his son K Tarakarama Rao too entered politics and won from Sircilla Assembly segment in 2009 elections. This time, KCR also nominated his daughter K Kavitha from Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat.
Therefore, this time, KCR family is contesting from as many as three Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats in Telangana region.
Several other family members are in the contest from different seats in Telangana region. While MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi is contesting from Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, his younger brother and sitting MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi is in the fray from Chandrayangutta seat. On the other side, Dr Khayam Khan and Majeedullah Khan Farhat, sons of MBT founder and former MLA Md Amanullah Khan, are contesting from Chandrayangutta and Yakutpura Assembly constituency.
Same is the case with Komatireddy brothers (Venkat Reddy and Rajgopal Reddy). While Venkat Reddy is contesting from Nalgonda Assembly, Rajgopal Reddy is Congress candidate from Bhongir Lok Sabha seat. The Ramreddy brothers (Venkat Reddy and Damodar Reddy) are also in the contest. Damodar Reddy is contesting from Suryapet and his brother Venkat Reddy from Palair.
Similarly, former minister DK Aruna is contesting from Gadwal and her brother T Rammohan Reddy from Parigi. Even Redya Naik and his daughter M Kavitha too managed to get a family package from Congress party. Naik is in the fray in Dornakal (ST) and Kavitha in Mahabubabad.
While Telangana PCC Working President Uttam Kumar Reddy is contesting from Huzurnagar, his wife Padmavathi has been given ticket from Kodad. While putting an end to dominance of one family in Musheerabad Assembly, the Congress promoted another family member of a senior politician. It replaced T Maneamma, wife of former Chief Minister T Anjaiah, with P Vinay Kumar, son of former union minister P Shiv Shankar.
Similarly, two members of PJR family are also in the contest although from different political parties. While P Vishunuwardhan Reddy is seeking re-election as Congress candidate from Jubilee Hills, his sister P Vijaya is a YSRCP candidate from Khairtabad Assembly segment.
The culture of dynastic politics is more popular in Seemandhra region with families like JCs, Kotlas dominating the Anantapur and Kurnool districts over several decades. Former PCC chief Botsa Satayanarayana and his wife Jhansi were elected to the Assembly and Lok Sabha in 2009 elections and this time too, both are likely to contest the elections.
The Nandamuri family is waiting for a ‘son’ rise in the shape of Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s son Lokesh during this election. The Daggubati couple – Purandeswari and Venkateswara Rao – were elected to the Lok Sabha and Assembly respectively in 2009. They have joined the BJP this time.
The Yeduguri Sandinti or YSR family is hoping to dominate the political scenario in these elections, especially in Seemandhra region. While YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is heading the party, his mother YS Vijaya Lakshmi is party’s working president and sister Sharmila is a star campaigner. YSR’s brother YS Vivekananda Reddy was elected from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat in 2004 elections.