Is there a re-think among the TDP that attacking Junior NTR over the way he responded to the obnoxious comments on Nara Bhuvaneswari on the floor of assembly is not the right strategy? Have some top TDP leaders advised the party cadres not to alienate NTR by attacking him over his comments on the whole issue?

The whole of the NTR family came together to warn the YSRCP, which obnoxiously attacked Nara Chandrababu Naidu and passed snide comments on his wife Nara Bhuvaneswari on the floor of the house. But, Junior NTR was not made part of the family photo op. He later issued a statement condemning the attack on Bhuvaneswari.

However, many TDP leaders felt that NTR’s comments were tame and not strong enough. They also slammed him saying that he was close to both Kodali Nani and Vallabhaneni Vamsi, who led the attack. They also said that it is his proximity to these leaders that has made NTR to soft-pedal the issue. The pro-TDP media too took up the issue and began targeting Junior NTR.

However, there seems to be a re-think in the TDP top brass. They have reportedly asked the cadre not to target NTR. In fact, NTR has not left the TDP and has never said that he would work with the YSRCP. As of now, his focus was on films and he was being diplomatic to protect the interests of his big-ticket producers, who have invested heavily. Secondly, by targeting NTR, the party was losing focus on the YSRCP. It is the YSRCP that needs to be targeted and exposed, not NTR. By making it a TDP-vs NTR issue, the party will only end up losing his support.

Hence Bharat, the son-in-law of Nandamuri Balakrishna has openly praised NTR for criticising YSRCP. This is an attempt to set the things right, say party sources. Bharat and Lokesh are both sons-in-law of Balakrishna, who in turn is the brother-in-law of Chandrababu. Sources say the directions not to attack NTR have come from the top. The TDP top brass has cleverly ensured that the issue was not diverted.