Forty-two years after matinee idol N.T. Rama Rao launched his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) amidst a sea of people at the Nizam College Grounds, there is no longer any trace of the party he founded in Telangana. Also erased is the lingering influence that movie stars had in Telangana, which gradually weakened after the bifurcation of the Telugu States a decade ago.
The last of the actors who tried his luck at the hustings was Babu Mohan from the Andole (SC) Assembly constituency which he managed to win in 2014, but lost in 2018. In the 2023 elections, contesting on a BJP ticket, Babu Mohan polled only a modest 5,524 votes, losing to Congress stalwart Damodar Rajanarasimha who holds the Health portfolio in the Revanth Reddy Cabinet.
Another film personality who tried her luck was Reshma Rathod aka Reshma Bai Bhukiya who was fielded from the Wyra (ST) constituency in 2018. She polled 1,025 votes or 0.65% vote share. An embarrassing outing, considering the fact that 2,360 voters had opted for NOTA (none of the above) option.
Also missing in action are actors campaigning for politicians. Actors played a vital role in campaigning, which was driven home in a tragic manner when actor Soundarya was killed at the peak of her career while on her way to campaign in Karimnagar for BJP stalwart Ch. Vidyasagar Rao in April 2004.
A few years later, in 2009, actor Jayasudha contested on a Congress ticket from Secunderabad and was elected to the Andhra Pradesh legislature when the Congress party led by Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy retained power in the State. Around the same time, her co-star in many Telugu movies, Jayaprada, got re-elected on a Samajwadi Party ticket from Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur Parliamentary constituency.
Across the border in Andhra Pradesh, movie stars have retained their sway on the political turf. If the Jana Sena Party is led by Pawan Kalyan, the TDP has in its ranks actor Nandamuri Balakrishna. The ruling YSRCP has R.K. Roja who is the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Youth Advancement, and is contesting from Nagari.
Other actors who have had successful albeit short stints in politics include Chiranjeevi, Krishna, Krishnamraju, Murali Mohan and Posani Krishna Murali among others. While the TDP is reduced to a mere shadow in Telangana, its loyalists are likely to play a key role in Khammam Lok Sabha seat. In the Assembly elections, the TDP workers had supported the Congress party. In Madhira constituency in the district, the TDP workers campaigned for eventual winner from the Congress party Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.
