The forthcoming Andhra Pradesh assembly polls has ended a 260-year-old rivalry between two royal families, as descendants of both families have come together to fight for the victory of Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
According to The Hindu's report, the rulers of the Vizianagaram and Bobbili kingdoms had been rivals since centuries. The historic Bobbili battle that took place on January 24, 1757, widened the gap between the two families, which resulted in bitter rivalry.
After India got Independence, princely states went out of existence but the rivalry continued. The royal spat turned political with members of the two families joining different parties in the state. Former Union Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju won on TDP ticket for the Vizianagaram Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 elections, while Sujayakrishna Rangarao of the Bobbili family successfully contested from the Bobbili Assembly constituency on YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) ticket.
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Although Gajapathi Raju managed to win the seat, he faced difficulty in the Bobbili segment, a part of the Vizianagaram parliamentary constituency.
Ahead of the upcoming polls, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu invited Rangarao to join his party, suggested the report. The invitation was accepted by him. The decision was initially objected by Gajapathi Raju, but later he was persuaded by Naidu.
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He has now welcomed Rangarao, who is seeking re-election from Bobbili seat. Rangarao is also bringing full support to Raju from Bobbili segment.
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