Did Hero Nikhil really join TDP?

Tollywood actor Nikhil Siddhartha’s recent association with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) created a buzz on social media. Nara Lokesh, the National General Secretary of the TDP, officially welcomed Nikhil into the party, symbolically draping him with a scarf. It was speculated that Nikhil would actively campaign for the TDP in the upcoming elections, which generated excitement among party supporters.

However, Nikhil later clarified that he had not joined the TDP. Instead, he revealed that his father-in-law, MM Kondaiah Yadav, had been nominated as the TDP MLA candidate from Chirala. Nikhil expressed his gratitude to Nara Lokesh for the opportunity for his family to serve the people through politics, and he requested blessings and support for his father-in-law’s campaign.

The relationship between Nikhil’s family and MM Kondaiah Yadav’s family goes back to Nikhil’s sister’s marriage to Yadav’s eldest son, Amarnath. MM Kondaiah Yadav, also known as Madduluri Malakondaiah Yadav, is a seasoned politician with over 15 years of experience. He has also made a name for himself in the fields of education and real estate. Despite losing the Ongole MP seat in the 2009 elections, Yadav has remained active in politics, initially joining the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) before rejoining the TDP in 2019.

The TDP’s decision to field MM Kondaiah Yadav as the candidate from Chirala in the 2024 elections was strategic, considering Yadav’s influence in the Sari assembly segment. This move came after the defection of Karanam Balaram, the previous TDP MLA from Cheerala, to the YSRCP. In response, the YSRCP nominated Karanam Balaram’s son, Karanam Venkatesh, for the upcoming elections.

While there were speculations of Nikhil campaigning for his uncle, sources close to Nikhil clarified that he had not joined the TDP. Instead, he expressed gratitude to Nara Lokesh for giving his uncle the opportunity to contest the elections.