Dynasts Ruling The Roost In AP Politics

Kakinada:Dynasts are increasingly on the upswing. Senior political leaders are increasingly showing a fancy to grooming their sons or other close relatives as their heirs to positions of power.

In this process, party structures are taking a major hit. Dynasts sideline second-line leaders in the party and encourage their family members to come upfront and inherit their political legacy. The system having gone haywire, no one shows the courage to challenge his trend.

As dynasties build muscles, some senior MLAs regret they could not field their sons in the previous elections. After having served as MLAs for repeated terms, they are keen on seeing their family members step into their shoes.

Kakinada MLA Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao (Kondababu) was elected as MLA thrice from the same constituency. Now, his son Mohana Varma, a postgraduate and president of the Telugu Desam professionals’ wing in the district is looking after the political beats of his father. Several second-rung leaders foresee a change and are getting close to Mohan Varma instead of the MLA.

Kakinada Rural MLA Pantham Venkateswara Rao (Nanaji’)’s important activities are being looked after of late by his son Sandeep, who is also well-educated. Some of the event organizers are inviting him as their chief guest.

Telugu Desam leader Jyothula Venkata Appa Rao (Nehru) enjoyed the charms of power with his election as MLA from Jaggampeta constituency four times. His son Jyothula Naveen Kumar, who sneaked in quietly, has been in politics for the past 10 years through a calculated grooming process. He held Zilla Parishad chairman post and was later elevated as the TD’s Kakinada district president. Local leaders are now making a beeline to Naveen Kumar to sort out their problems as it’s he, not his father the MLA, who roams around the constituency.

Naveen aspired to get the Kakinada LS ticket from TD, but the seat went to Jana Sena. Recently, he aspired for the DCCB chairman post, but in vain. Nehru is also a TTD board member.

The much-sought-after constituency, Pithapuram, is represented by deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan. As and when any government programme or party programme is held in the constituency, Pawan Kalyan’s brother K Nagababu who was elected as MLC, is in the forefront. According to sources, the local JS leaders report to Nagababu on a daily basis.

Anaparthi MLA Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy was a strong Telugu Desam leader. He worked as MLA during 2014-19. He is the son of late Nallamilli Moola Reddy, who was elected MLA in 1982, 1985, 1994 and 1999 on TD tickets. Later, Ramakrishna Reddy stepped into his shoes.

But, when the Anaparti constituency was wrested by the BJP under the alliance format in the 2024 elections, Ramakrishna Reddy joined the BJP and won the MLA seat. But his son Nallamilli Manoj Reddy is the constituency incharge for the Telugu Desam.

Telugu Desam’s Gorantla Buchaiach Chowdary was elected as MLA in 1982, 1985, 1994 and 1999 from Rajamahendravaram constituency and in 2014, 2019 and 2024 from Rajamahendravaram Rural. He frequently goes abroad and leaves the field open to his brother’s son Gorantla Ravi Kiran. Kiran, on his own, calls the shots in the constituency. He held the Mahanadu constituency meeting in May.

Labour minister Vasamsetty Subhash was elected as MLA on behalf of the Telugu Desam in the 2024 elections from Ramachandrapuram. His father Vasamsetti Satyam is handling the political and other affairs in the constituency irrespective of whether the minister is in the constituency or not. The needy have to meet his father Satyam, not the minister, to sort out their problems.

Rajanagaram Jana Sena MLA Bathula Bala Ramakrishna’s wife Venkata Lakshmi was an MPTC before he was elected as MLA. She is now roaming around the constituency and handling matters that are normally addressed by the constituency’s MLA. Rather than being an exception to the rule, dynasty politics is now sought to be made the rule itself.