Taraka Ratna wanted to contest Andhra polls next year: Chandrababu

Hyderabad, Feb (IANS) Actor Nandamuri Taraka Ratna, who passed away on Saturday night, wanted to contest next year's Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu revealed this after paying his last respects to Taraka Ratna at the latter's residence at Mokila in Rangareddy district near Hyderabad on Sunday.

The former chief minister told media persons that he had hoped that Taraka Ratna would recover but his passing away at a young age shocked the entire family.

"He wanted to do something good for the people. He was keen to contest the next elections," revealed Naidu.

Taraka Ratna was the son of Chandrababu Naidu's brother-in-law N. Mohan Krishna.

The actor, who collapsed after suffering cardiac arrest during the padyatra by his cousin and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh at Kuppam on January 27, succumbed on Saturday at Bengaluru's Narayana Institute of Cardiac Sciences after battling for life for 23 days. He was 39.

Taraka Ratna was the grandson of legendary actor and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N.T. Rama Rao.

Chandrababu Naidu said that on February 22, Taraka Ratna would have turned 40.

"We have lost a young man who had a bright future. He was the only actor to launch nine films in a single day," recalled Naidu.

NTR family had launched Taraka Ratna into Tollywood with much fanfare with a record nine films launched on a single day.

The TDP chief also noted that the actor had bagged Nandi award for his performance in 'Amaravathi'.