Naidu forces brother into political sanyas
Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
Forced into political oblivion by his elder brother and Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Ramamurthy Naidu
has turned to Sri Satya Sai Baba for spiritual solace.
Chandrababu Naidu's sibling Ramamurthy Naidu formally renounced
politics on Monday at Tirupati and headed for Puttaparthi, the
abode of Satya Sai Baba, to participate in the 'godman's' 75th
birthday celebrations.
Ramamurthy Naidu also released a cassette of devotional songs
in praise of Satya Sai Baba on the occasion.
The local media quoted Ramamurthy Naidu as saying that having
made the "supreme sacrifice," he had taken to spiritualism.
A one-time legislator from Chandragiri constituency in Chittoor
district, Ramamurthy Naidu has maintained a low profile after his
defeat in the assembly election in September 1999.
Between 1994 and 1999, when he was a legislator, the junior
Naidu faced several allegations.
The Congress accused him of interference in the Chittoor
district administration. He was also charged with distributing
wads of currency notes in Visakhapatnam before polling day to
allegedly influence voters in September 1999.
But Ramamurthy Naidu lost the Chandragiri seat to Andhra
Pradesh Mahila Congress chief Galla Aruna Kumari.
Ramamurthy Naidu, 48, is an arts graduate from Sri Venkateswara
University. An agriculturist by profession, he has business
interests in Bangalore, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam. He also owns
farms at his native village Naravaripalli, though he stays at
Tirupati.
It is no secret that Chandrababu Naidu told Ramamurthy to quit
politics. He met Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad on Sunday and told
him about his decision.
Ramamurthy Naidu stayed away from the Telugu Desam Party's
membership drive that got underway on November 8. His supporters
also refused to lend a helping hand in enrolment of TDP members in
Chandragiri.
Chandrababu Naidu later formed a four-member committee
comprising party conveners of mandal units at Chandragiri, Irala,
Pakala and Pulicherla to take up the membership drive.
