Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister and head of the TDP, set a goal for himself: winning the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor in the country, for two significant individuals who helped advance his professional trajectory and fortify the party.
N.T. Rama Rao, the late father-in-law of Naidu and the founder of the TDP, and Ch. Ramoji Rao, the chairman of the Eenadu Group, who supported Naidu during times of crisis and indirectly assisted the TDP in gaining power, are two of them.
To ensure the two significant individuals receive the coveted honors, Naidu encouraged the party’s MPs to work equally hard. Furthermore, he assured them that the party would support them in their undertaking.
During the recent Ramoji Rao memorial meeting organized by the state government on the outskirts of Vijayawada, Naidu said that party cadres should make sure Ramoji Rao receives the Bharat Ratna Award as well.
The Padma awards are traditionally announced in August each year. The highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, is also announced on the same occasion. -Chandrababu Naidu
This means that the TDP cadre has just one month to devise an action plan to complete this goal.
It remains to be seen how far Naidu would be able to exert his influence over the Centre.
However, it should be noted that there is no tradition of announcing two Bharat Ratna for the same state, but because Naidu is a member of the ruling NDA government at the Centre, the possibility cannot be ruled out.
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How well the TDP leader and his MPs can complete the assignment remains to be seen.