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Naidu forces brother into political sanyas

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

Forced into political oblivion by his elder brother and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Ramamurthy Naidu has turned to Sri Satya Sai Baba for spiritual solace.

Chandrababu Naidu's sibling Ramamurthy Naidu formally renounced politics on Monday at Tirupati and headed for Puttaparthi, the abode of Satya Sai Baba, to participate in the 'godman's' 75th birthday celebrations.

Ramamurthy Naidu also released a cassette of devotional songs in praise of Satya Sai Baba on the occasion.

The local media quoted Ramamurthy Naidu as saying that having made the "supreme sacrifice," he had taken to spiritualism.

A one-time legislator from Chandragiri constituency in Chittoor district, Ramamurthy Naidu has maintained a low profile after his defeat in the assembly election in September 1999.

Between 1994 and 1999, when he was a legislator, the junior Naidu faced several allegations.

The Congress accused him of interference in the Chittoor district administration. He was also charged with distributing wads of currency notes in Visakhapatnam before polling day to allegedly influence voters in September 1999.

But Ramamurthy Naidu lost the Chandragiri seat to Andhra Pradesh Mahila Congress chief Galla Aruna Kumari.

Ramamurthy Naidu, 48, is an arts graduate from Sri Venkateswara University. An agriculturist by profession, he has business interests in Bangalore, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam. He also owns farms at his native village Naravaripalli, though he stays at Tirupati.

It is no secret that Chandrababu Naidu told Ramamurthy to quit politics. He met Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad on Sunday and told him about his decision.

Ramamurthy Naidu stayed away from the Telugu Desam Party's membership drive that got underway on November 8. His supporters also refused to lend a helping hand in enrolment of TDP members in Chandragiri.

Chandrababu Naidu later formed a four-member committee comprising party conveners of mandal units at Chandragiri, Irala, Pakala and Pulicherla to take up the membership drive.

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