K Chandrasekhar Rao has his `ancestral roots' in north coastal Andhra

December 13, 2009
By Syed Akbar

Hyderabad, Dec 12: The ongoing T turmoil has unwittingly taken a new twist over the ancestral roots of TRS
president K Chandrasekhar Rao, with those opposed to him tracing his family genealogy to the erstwhile Bobbili kingdom in north Andhra.
According to KCR baiters, his forefathers came to Medak district five to six generations ago, after leaving the Bobbili samsthan. Chandrasekhar Rao was born at Chintamadaka village near Siddipet in  Medak district 55 years ago. His father and grandfather were also born in the district.
TRS legislator and KCR's nephew T Harish Rao, however, denies the family roots being  linked to north Andhra."We are from here and our family has nothing to do with Bobbili," he said.
The powerful Velama community, to which Chandrasekhar Rao belongs, ruled over the Bobbili  kingdom before the area fell under the control of the Britishers. Historical records show that the Velama  community later "settled" in different parts of the State. Some of them including the forefathers of Chandrasekhar Rao
are said to have settled in Telangana about 150 to 200 years ago, while others preferred Godavari and Krishna  districts.
Though the talk of KCR being a "settler" and "non-local" has been making rounds ever since he broke away from the Telugu Desam to float the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in 2001, it has of late gained  momentum. Not only leaders from Andhra and Rayalaseema, but those from Telangana too trace the lineage of KCR to
Vizianagaram (then Srikakulam) district.
Sangareddy legislator T Jayaprakash Reddy, who once rubbed shoulders with KCR, went to the extent of giving "KCR Bobbili Bhago" call in retaliation to the TRS chief's "settlers" and "Andhra" talk.  Chandrasekhar Rao should not forget his roots. He himself is a settler in Telangana as his ancestors had migrated  from Bobbili," he pointed out.
The Uttarandhra Vidhyarthi Sena, which is spearheading united Andhra movement in north  coastal districts, is of the view that KCR's forefathers had lived in Buddipeta village in Sitanagaram mandal of the  present Vizianagaramdistrict. Argues Vidhyarthi Sena president SR Murthy, "the TRS chief should first talk of
the backwardness of his ancestral region (north Andhra) before talking up the cause of Telangana. He should not forget the past of his forefathers."
Interestingly, the TRS contested in several Parliament constituencies in coastal Andhra during 2004 general elections to claim the status of a "regional party". The party fielded candidate, G Venkatesh, in  Bobbili (now Vizianagaram) Lok Sabha seat. He polled 14131 votes including 3444 votes in Gajapatinagaram Assembly
segment.
The TRS chief is also known for "settling" from one constituency to another, shifting from native Siddipet to
Karimnagar and then to Mahbubnagar.
Senior citizens from Bobbili claim that KCR’s great grandfathers used to frequent north Andhra for trading. Their visits have been regular since beginning of the 19th century, since Bobbili was one of the civilised towns in that era nurturing art and culture apart from offering better living standards.
During 2004 general elections, Mr K Chandrasekhara Rao reportedly recalled his ancestors’ relation with the great town of Bobbili and fielded Venkatesh from the area on TRS symbol `Car’.