Telangana polls | Family first: BRS, Congress show dynasty politics is here to stay

While political parties are often seen exchanging barbs over dynastic politics, the assembly polls in Telangana are witness to the phenomenon of members from the same family -- like siblings or wife and husband -- entering the fray. It is seen in almost all parties, more particularly in ruling BRS and Opposition Congress.

On behalf of the BRS which often faces the allegation of “family rule”, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting from Gajwel and Kamareddy, while his son and BRS Working President KT Rama Rao is seeking re-election from Sircilla. KCR's nephew and state Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao is also seeking re-election from Siddipet. Rama Rao had earlier said there is nothing unusual in family members and children of a prominent leader joining politics as children do take up the parents' legacy in professions like doctors and actors.

The Congress has fielded party MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy in Huzurnagar segment, while his wife N Padmavati is contesting from Kodad in the assembly polls. Sitting MLA Mynampally Hanumantha Rao is again contesting from Malkajgiri in Hyderabad, while his son Rohith Rao is making electoral debut from Medak. Hanumantha Rao was re-nominated by the BRS to contest the poll. However, he had quit BRS and joined the Congress after getting tickets for him and his son.

Congress Lok Sabha member Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has been announced party candidate for Nalgonda seat, while his brother Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy is trying his luck from Munugode. Other siblings from Congress who are in the electoral fray are G Vivek from Chennur and his brother G Vinod from Bellampalle. The Congress has come under flak from BRS for not implementing its ‘one family, one ticket’ resolution of its Udaipur declaration.

KTR takes a dig

“They had announced one Udaipur Declaration. They said only one ticket per family. Are they standing by that in Telangana? How many tickets have they given to families? Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao and his son, Uttam Kumar Reddy and his wife, Komatireddy brothers and many others. Congress had already violated the Udaipur Declaration,” BRS Working President KT Rama Rao said on November 10. “What is the point in making declarations? You don’t have sincerity in implementing declarations,” Rama Rao had said, taking a dig at the minority declaration announced by the Congress.

Senior journalist Ramu Suravajjula said being the son or daughter of a political leader, he or she enjoys numerous advantages, ranging from branding and a traditional family vote bank to financial influence. “Dynastic politics is here to stay, and we should come to terms with it. It is the responsibility of intellectuals and educated voters to enlighten the masses about the negative aspects of such politics,” he said.

(With agency inputs)