TDP demands 'Bharat Ratna' for late NT Rama Rao

HYDERABAD: Paying tributes to its founder-president and former Chief Minister N T Rama Rao on his 91st birth anniversary, the Telugu Desam Party ( TDP) today urged the Centre to confer Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, on him.

A resolution to this effect was unanimously adopted at the TDP's two-day annual conclave Mahanadu at Gandipet, 25-km from here, today.

"It is the desire of all Telugus to see Bharat Ratna conferred on NTR. I will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour NTR with the highest civilian award. I will pursue the issue till the end," TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu announced, while moving the resolution.

He said NTR was the doyen of Telugu cinema and later carved out a niche as a political leader of tall order not only in Andhra Pradesh, but also in the country.

Chandrababu said he would also pursue the issue of renaming Hyderabad International Airport after NTR.

"The old (Begumpet) airport bore NTR's name, but the Congress unceremoniously removed it. Now that the Union Civil Aviation Minister (Ashok Gajapathi Raju) is our man, I will pursue the issue and get the Hyderabad airport named after NTR," Chandrababu said.

NTR's son and MLA-elect Nandamuri Balakrishna, Chandrababu's son Nara Lokesh and senior party leaders paid tributes to NTR on the occasion and recalled his services to people.

Earlier in the day, Chandrababu, Balakrishna and members of their family visited NTR Ghat here and offered floral tributes at the samadhi.