Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday demanded that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder N T Rama Rao be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, saying the legendary leader had brought transformative changes to the country’s political landscape.
Addressing delegates on the second day of Mahanadu, the TDP’s annual conclave, Naidu said conferring the nation’s highest civilian award on NTR would reflect the long-standing aspirations and sentiments of Telugu people across the country.
“We appeal for the Bharat Ratna to be awarded to a visionary leader like NTR, who brought major changes to India’s political system and inspired regional empowerment,” Naidu said while paying tribute to the late leader on his birth anniversary.
Recalling NTR’s contribution to Telugu pride and political consciousness, the TDP chief said the party founder had worked tirelessly for the unity and self-respect of Telugu-speaking people and would continue to remain in their hearts forever.
Naidu highlighted NTR’s remarkable rise from humble beginnings, noting that he started his professional life as an ordinary employee before emerging as one of the most celebrated actors in Telugu cinema and later becoming chief minister within just nine months of launching a political party.
He further said NTR had played a decisive role in national politics and contributed significantly to the formation of governments at the Centre during a period when regional parties began asserting themselves more strongly. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister also reiterated the TDP’s commitment to women’s empowerment, stating that the party would once again urge the Union government to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies.
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Naidu asserted that the TDP would become the first political party in the country to voluntarily implement the quota in elections. The proposal was first put forward by TDP working president Nara Lokesh on the opening day of Mahanadu, where he announced that the party planned to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women candidates in the 2029 elections.
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR, was born on May 28, 1923, and passed away on January 18, 1996, at the age of 72. He founded the Telugu Desam Party in 1982 and went on to serve three terms as the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. Apart from his political achievements, NTR enjoyed immense popularity in Telugu cinema, acting in nearly 300 films and attaining iconic status among audiences.
The TDP is currently led by Chandrababu Naidu and remains a key ally in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. With 16 Lok Sabha members, the party continues to play an influential role in national politics.
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