LAKSHMI PARVATHI AND THE AFTERMATH OF NTR'S LIFE.

 

NTR introduced Lakshmi Parvathi to the public on the 100 days function of Major Chandrakanth held at Tirupati in Sep 1993. He said she has saved his life from a heart attack and he is indebted to her and he said that he wanted to propose to her and was about to invite her on to the stage. NTR was choked with emotion and could not speak and Mohanbabu helped him back to the chair.

Chandrabau who was sitting on the dais then immediately got up and left. The mikes were muted and the lights on the stage were switched off and the function was wound up. Next day NTR flew to Hyderabad and addressed a press conference saying that he and Lakshmi Parvathi are a wedded couple and they tied the knot in the morning. With the event a drama unfolded in his life that is akin to a Shakespearean tragedy. Although Lakshmi Parvathi was branded as a villain in the tragedy, it is very difficult to assess what was really the fact with Chandrababu being equally responsible for the subsequent events that befell NTR.

Lakshmi Parvathi might be from the same caste as NTR, but their economic class is utterly different. She came from a lower middle income family of Patchala Tadiparru village in Guntur district. The family had no money and Parvathi’s education had to be supported by one Veeragandham Subbarao who is a Harikatha artist and a family friend.

Lakshmi Parvathi agreed to marry him looking to the poor condition of her family. He already had 3 children from his first marriage and NTR & Parvathi got married when she was 17 and he 40 years old. Both lived together for 10 years and had a son. Lakshmi Parvathi was hard working and she completed her PG and joined as a lecturer in Narasaraopet.

It was publicized that she was performing in Harikathas with him, but the fact was different. Having done her Ubhayabasha Parveena, a course in Sanskrit and Telugu, Parvathi became interested in spiritual texts. Before every Harikatha performance she would give a talk on Hindu scriptures with relevance to the Harikatha, and became famous for that. Both of them visited various places around the state and also went to the US for their performances.

NTR first met Parvathi along with her husband in the AP Bhavan at Delhi in 1985 where they performed on the state foundation day and were felicitated by NTR. They also participated in the TDP campaign over many elections. Parvathi then joined the Telugu University at Hyderabad for doing her M Phil. She then made efforts to meet NTR and NTR was charmed by the devotion shown by her to him. He liked her proficiency in Telugu classical literature and Hindu puranas which NTR himself was fond of. This was at the end of his first tenure ac CM in 1989.

After TDP’s bad defeat in the 1989 elections NTR was disheartened. He was living at the Nacharam Ramakrishna Horticultural studio feeling old, sick and lonely. His wife Basavatarakam left him 5 years ago when she was just 58. All through his career he put in long hours of work and Basavatarakam took care of him. Now he felt all alone, a feeling which the defeat exacerbated.

NTR fulfilled all his obligations to his children by marrying them off and distributing them his property, but he was not close to anyone of them in his older years. None of the children too had a strong bond with their father. Only Jayakrishna along with his wife used to visit NTR now and then. As long as power was there he led a hectic life so the void created by the loss of his wife receded to the background. But with the power gone it came back to him with a bang.

As the property he is using for party work was given by him to Ramakrishna, NTR built a small house in Banjara Hills Road No. 13 and shifted there. However, he had no one to look after him and even cooks and other workers were irregular.

His health started deteriorating with Diabetes and hypertension and he was all alone. By that time, he already had a bypass surgery and his right arm and leg were partly immobilized on account of a stroke he had earlier. Most of all he wanted companionship and he was 67 years old.  

In 1990 when they started meeting regularly, Parvathi was 36 while he was 67.  She touched an emotional chord in him when he was most vulnerable. He was not an easy guy to get close to. Parvathi persevered for his attention and was finally successful. This was when he was still at Nacharam and she at Narasaraopet. He got a telephone installed for her and teased her that his long distance romance cost him Rs 2 lacs in phone bills each month. NTR was very fond of the Puranas and their characters, while Lakshmi Parvathi was a great orator about Puranas as that was her job before her husband narrated the Harikatha. It was also this skill which attracted NTR towards her.

Throughout 1991 Parvathi kept visiting NTR. That brought them more closer and he found relief in her company. In the 1991 midterm Parliament election he was strained and she tended to him and he became dependent on her.

Parvathi says NTR proposed to her and she filed for divorce from husband with whom she was living separately whereas his family says that she pressurized NTR to marry her. We cannot say which was actually a fact, but no one could pressurize NTR in his life and to believe that she was able to pressurize him does not make sense. That he had proudly announced it on the sets of Chandrakanth itself shows that he was happy with the event. So, it clearly appears that the version of the family is not credible. At the same time, it is very much possible that Parvathi charmed and showed so much devotion (possible by design rather than by accident) to NTR that he was totally taken in by her. That along with his need for a companion in his loneliness drew him near to her. So while it may be a plot by her to ensnare NTR, it was certainly not one sided as the family members want us to believe.  

In 1992 when he was shooting for Samrat Ashok at Ooty he called all his family members there to settle some internal disputes between them. There he announced that he wanted to marry Parvathi. His children were shocked and did not agree at all. Maximum opposition came from Harikrishna, Ramakrishna,  Chandrababu and Daggubati.

Soon after, he suffered from a stroke and had to be rushed to NIMS by Parvathi. The family members were enraged at seeing her there and made her leave. Doctors advised further treatment for him which he had in the US in 1993 and came back treated.

Later when the Parvathi affair became public the TDP cadre felt it would damage the party, but on the contrary Parvathi found acceptance with the people and his image received a further boost among women. NTR started taking Parvathi to wherever he went including meetings and appeared relaxed in her company.

His first public meeting after the affair at Rajahmundry drew huge crowds. When she spoke she said she had no intention to enter politics and said with the help of Chandrabau and Daggubati, NTR would return to power.

Two other meetings in Nalgonda and Kurnool were also hugely successful. The TDP seemed surging once again. This success of Parvathi did not go well with Chandrababu and Daggubati. Rightfully Chandrababu after the TDP lost in 1989 worked hard for the party and now he felt everything is being lost to Parvathi. NTR thought that Chandrababu is an efficient organizer, but he was wary of his ambitions and personal integrity.

Parvathi on her part was a political novice and took everything at face value. She increased the son in laws insecurity. She was not immune to the trappings of power as NTRs wife. Many who felt left out in the party found a saviour in her. Felicitations, offerings of sarees, jewellery and other gifts to her became common.

The newspapers started caricaturing her and especially Eenadu said that she is a wily woman in whose hands NTR is now just a pawn. I think that is a ridiculous portrayal, it forgets that till then no one in his life had been able to influence NTR and he takes his own decisions. No doubt he liked Parvathi, respected her and loved her but as far as decisions went it was his purview. This is corroborated in an interview by Jayaparakash Narayana who was then the Special Secretary to the CM. I have seen that interview. He said that Parvathi had no role in NTR’s decision making and in fact NTR never consulted her for any decision.

But yes, in the political arena, those who were not in favour moved towards her to get through to NTR. But newspapers again led by Eenadu blew it up and came out with daily stories about Parvathis regular interference in party affairs.

By this time Ramoji Rao got fed up with the quirks of NTR and was backing Chandrababu. Slowly NTR started giving more importance to Parvathi and took her inputs in her interactions with party activists from districts. But the final decision on any matter was always his. With his failing health he relied on her to speak for him at public meetings and she was able at that because she is a better orator than either Chandrababu or Daggubati.  

Senior leaders like Indra Reddy, Muddu Krishanm Naidu, and Butchaih Chowdhary grew close to her and were branded as her clique. Now all these developments must have shook both Chandrababu, Daggubati as well as other family members. They felt insecure at the developments. The disgruntled in the party who earlier went to Daggubati, now after seeing the weight given by NTR to Parvathi started flocking to her. This made Chandrababu further worried. But, looking to the oncoming assembly elections both the guys made peace with Parvathi.

NTR was then an invigorated man after taking Parvathi as a companion. With Parvathi by his side, he organized public meetings throughout the state culminating in the Praja Garjana at Hyderabad which was attended by a million people. The TDP made a record by winning 219 MLA seats on its own and more than 250 seats along with allies.

Parvathi, a day before the TDP government was formed clarified in an interview that she is a housewife and she would remain so. She downplayed her role in the campaign. Chandrababu had the best deal among the ministers. He was given both Finance & also Revenue both important portfolios.

Pravathi went wherever NTR went. She even went to Delhi along with him to Delhi to meet the PM. She was attending many cultural, literary and film functions in Hyderabad and elsewhere in the state. The ministers were present wherever she went.

Chandrababu wielded an enormous clout in the party but had some distracters. Parvathi and Daggubati were wary of him. He is very media savy and effectively used the media to further his political interests.

As for Parvathi, she wanted to advertise to all that she is indispensable for NTR. At the party thrown at Delhi by Laloo, who was the newly elected, Parvathi fed NTR in front of hundreds of guests which was ridiculous.

She started asserting herself. She patched up things between NTR and Balamuralikrishna who was enraged when the 12 cultural positions were abolished earlier by the state. She lobbied with NTR to get Kondapalli Sitharamayya, the Naxalite leader released from jail. She arranged a meeting of the film personalities like Akkineni, Krishna, Chiranjivi and Dasari Naryana Rao with NTR. She also got the tension the Brahmin community had with NTR defused. It became known that it is easy to get the CM through his wife.

It became more and more difficult for family members to access NTR. NTR started to give a deaf ear to anything Chandrababu said and took no action. By this time, Parvathi had a hold on NTR and he spoke of her in glowing terms in front of officials. She was chipping away at Chandrababu’s support base and her base in the party was growing. Although she held no political position, she was gaining the number 2 stature in the party on account of NTR. That was when Chandrababu decided that something had to be done to stop her.

In June 1995 NTR and Parvathi left for England for his medical check-up. When he came back to Hyderabad, in August 1995  NTR suspended 8 MLA’s for working against the party in the election of the Presidents to the DCCB’s. The cross voting was done with Chandrababu’s blessings as it was alleged that some of the candidates were Parvathi’s men.

Chandrababu represented the MLA’s case but NTR refused to relent. As the suspended MLA’s belonged to the Chandrababu group and protests erupted and a TDPL meeting was demanded to consider the issue. On 17^th Aug 1995 NTR along with Parvathi  left for Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and Visakhapatnam districts for the program “Prjalaku vaddaku palana”. Chandrababu too went with him. 

While on that NTR received intelligence inputs that the MLA’s were getting together in groups at Hyderabad. NTR was not worried as Chandrababu was with him. He merely thought his son in law and his supporters were trying to extract concession from him by using pressure.

Meanwhile Harikrishna was holding meetings in and around Vijayawada condemning Parvathi and her style. Chandrababu was communicating with the MLA’s and drumming up their support surreptiously for the coup he planned in the night while attending the public duties during the day with NTR.

After his return to Hyderabad a delegation from the Chandrababu group consisting of Devender Goud, Ashok Gajapati raju anad Subba Reddy met NTR who was open to their request of reconsidering the suspensions. But when they mentioned that Parvathi should be kept out of politics and government he exploded and blasted them. He spewed fire at Chandrababu at whose behest the legislators have cross voted.

Immediately Chandrababu put his plan into motion. Eenadu reported that 110 MLA’s met Chandrababu at the Secretariat and they were in a defiant mood and want to speak about NTR to the press.  

Now Chandrababau wanted legitimacy for his move, so he sought the NTR family members for that. Yarlagadda lakshmiprasad brought in Balakrishna to Hyderabad but he was totally unaware of the political developments. At the secretariat Balakrishna was got convinced about the need to get rid of Parvathi to save the party. Chandrababu, then reached Harikrishna who was anyways was already convinced on that. Bringing them both into the rebel camp was a big boost for Chandrababu. Daggubati rushed back from Delhi. Chandrababu took him aside and had a private talk after which he joined them.

All the three members of the family and Chandrababu’s group of ministers were then taken to Viceroy Hotel. The MLA’s were also brought to the hotel. Initially the idea of Chandrababu was to stand up to NTR against Parvathi’s role in the party and wanted to resist NTRs decisions on party legislators. But NTR did not concede that and the stalemate continued. As the rebel forces started swelling and Chandrababu knew he had an overwhelming support and he now desired that he be the Chief Minister.

Chandrababu now dithered to go the whole hog and takeover from NTR. His colleagues Ashok Gajapati Raju & Kotagiri Vidyadhar Rao warned if Chandrababu steps back at this stage, then the MLA’s who are in a defiant mood now may go ahead and form a government on their own.

On 24^th August 3 senior officials Jayaparakash Narayan, H.J.Dora nad K.Durga Prasad went to Daggubati’s house. Later they rushed to NTR’s house to apprise him of the developments.  They advised that NTR issue a statement about limiting the role of Parvatahi in politics. But NTR flatly refused.

He said if I yield now they would play around with me. Their target is me and not Parvathi. JP hinted that NTR’s government may be in jeopardy, but NTR said he does not care for power, and said “I lived like a king and I will die like one”.

When a flustered Parvathi pleaded with NTR to give in, he shouted at her and asked her to stay out of the matter. Parvathi in panic called the Eenadu office and gave a statement “If I am the reason for the current crisis, I would like to declare publicly that I will have nothing to do with politics from now on “.

On the night of 24^th 157 MLA’s signed that they have elected Chandrababu as the TDP legislature party leader which means NTR was replaced as Chief Minister. NTR came to know about it on 25^th morning.

At 5.30 AM that day NTR recommended the dismissal of the 5 ministers leading the revolt. They are Chandrababu Naidu, Ashok Gajapati Raju, Devender Goud, Madhava Reddy and Kotagiri Vidyadhar Rao. The recommendation was accepted and the 5 minsters were dismissed by Governor Krishna Kant.  

Then at 8 AM NTR gave a letter to the governor asking him to dissolve the assembly. Some observers feel this is a misstep by NTR. The threat of dissolution would force the MLAs to side with Chandrababu to save their skins by avoiding another election.

Two emissaries of Chandrababu, K Vidyadhar Rao and Devender Goud met the Governor at 7.35 AM before NTR did and submitted a list of 140 MLAs in support of Chandrababu Naidu.

At 9.30 AM Chandrababu alaong with 4 busloads of his supporting MLAs met Governor Krishna Kant and submitted him 2 resolutions. One on lack of confidence on NTR and the other one supporting Chandrababu. They also opposed dissolution of the assembly.

Chandrababu also got Yanamala Ramakrishnudu from East Godavari by helicopter by night 8.30 PM and took up the task of counting the numbers supporting Chandrababu. He then issued a bulletin that 164 MLA’s are supporting Chandrababu.

In the evening NTR and Parvathi along with some ministers loyal to them went on the Chaitanya Ratham to Viceroy Hotel. His own MLA’s from behind the gates of Viceroy Hotel heckled, taunted and jeered at him.

Till the day before he was a feared leader before whom no MLA can take any liberties, but that day it was different and NTR must have felt humiliated. NTR stayed there for 2 hours and they threw empty water bottles and slippers at the Ratham. Then Parvathi started cursing Chandrababu’s MLA’s and they abused her with filthy words whereupon the NTR party beat a hasty retreat.

Parvathi then issued a statement that she would forever remain a servant of NTR and from that day onwards, she would have no connection whatsoever with politics.

That met the primary condition of the Chandrababu group. The NTR group then asked the 40 odd chairmens of government corporations to resign to address the feelings of the Chandrababu group that they are Parvathis men.

5 ministers G.Muddukrishnam naidu, Butchiah Chowdhary, Indra Reddy, M.Narasimhulu and Dadi Veerbhadra Rao branded as Parvathi’s men also submitted their resignations.

But despite all that the rebel group which was swelling in numbers was in no mood to back down. The Governor asked NTR in the early hours of 27^th August to seek a vote of confidence by 30^th.

Mohanbabu, who had maintained close relations with NTR and Parvathi and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by NTR now supported Chandrababu. Even Rajnikanth who was nominated on the TTD Board by NTR addressed the legislators of the Chandrababu group and said she is the villain of the piece.

NTR now wanted to go to the people and he left on a whirlwind tour of the state with an idea to pressurize the MLAs come back to his fold. The sudden public meetings received a good response but there were no party leaders left to mobilize the crowds. So nothing much could be accomplished by the meetings.

On 28^th August the national Front leaders V.P.Singh, S.R Bommai and Deve Gowda, the then Karnataka CM came to Hyderabad to find some solution. But by this time the demand from the Chnadrababu camp was not removal of Lakshmi Parvathi from politics, but the quitting of NTR from the party and just be the party’s figurehead.   

On a public meeting on 30^th August NTR said he would fight back and rebuild the party. VP Singh and Akali leader Talwandi asked NTR to leave the state behind and play a role in national politics. They said honour awaited him at the national level. It indeed did because he was then the Chairman of National Front which ran the central Government.

The floor test was slated for 31st in the assembly. On the same day, at 9.20 AM NTR suffered a heart attack and at 1.20 PM the Governor had to go to Mediciti hospital to accept the resignation. He submitted his resignation to the governor personally.

Thus ended the chapter of the most colorful personality and mover of people in Andhra politics. He would never get to the CM’s chair again and would die in 4 months time.

I personally think it is the NTR family that should be blamed for what had happened. They should not have left him all alone when he was half invalid without anyone bothering to tend to him.

It is but natural that when Parvathi showed so much devotion and attention to him, he fell for her. Why blame her? Even if she had really manipulated NTR, it was only because of the failure of his family.

Anyhow, when NTR himself has invited her to accompany him to the meetings, can she refuse him? She may be good or bad, but she was awed by NTR’s presence and worshipped him whatever may be the reason for that. When NTR himself pushed her into politics how can she keep away, all the more so because she was tending to him all the time? Also she never claimed that she was NTR’s heir.

She never took a single administrative decision but yes she influenced NTR in a couple of them. Yes, she did interfere in the elevation of some people, but does that make her a devil? She was the wife of the most powerful man in the state whose charisma is unmatched till today by any other Chief Minister. Is it that only Chandrababu can do politics and put his men in important positions, but if she, the  NTR’s wife puts in a few of hers in positions, he feels challenged and says she is evil. When she did that, she was NTR’s wife which relationship is closer to NTR than that of Chandrababu. It is our newspapers that made a big villain of her.  

Lakshmi Parvathi is a woman who was always insecure in life and was fighting all the time. So she was trying to find security when she was seeking NTR’s company. That may have been planned by her, but she did not force NTR to do anything which he did not want to and merely gave him companionship. She was liked by him and did not cheat him in any way. She attracted him with a common interest in scriptures. Yet she was painted as the devil incarnated because she put a few of her supporters in positions. As NTR’s wife she has 100% right to do so if Chandrababu had it.

Personally, I have no idea of Lakshmi Parvathi or her personality, but the sequence of events clearly point to a failure of NTR’s family to tend for him when he badly needed. It is they who have made Lakshmi Parvathi important in his life by default. They did not do their duty but were ready to usurp his political position. So in this episode, who is more selfish?; Lakshmi Parvathi or NTR’s family?