TDP MLA and actor Balakrishna sits on AP CM Naidu's chair, triggers row

​Several senior officials remained mute spectators as Balakrishna conducted a review meeting.

Actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna triggered a row after he occupied Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's chair at the latter's office in the Velgapudi Secretraiat.

Balakrishna, who is also the TDP MLA from Hindpur in Anantapur district, was conducting a review meeting on the upcoming Lepakshi festival in his constituency.

 ​According to reports, Balakrishna took the seat even as Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and senior IAS officials remained mute spectators.

Naidu and his son and Andhra IT Minister Nara Lokesh, are in Davos from January 21 to 25 to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF).

In their absence, many were upset that Balakrishna misused his relationship with the Chief Minister. Balakrishna's sister, Nara Bhuvaneshwari, is married to Naidu, while his daughter, Nara Brahmini is married to Lokesh.

“Personal relationships should not intrude into official places, especially in the high positions in the state. Moreover, there are conference halls in every block and Mr Balakrishna could have chosen any of them instead of the one in the CMO,” an official told DC. 

Balakrishna is constantly in the news for his short temper, as he is known to have slapped multiple people on camera, including his own fans.

Balayya, as he is popularly known, is former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao's son. In last year, during his electoral campaign tour in Nandyal of Kurnool, he slapped a party man who tried to take a selfie with him.

In the same month, he whacked an assistant director on the sets of Paisa Vasool, and forced him to pick his shoes up.

In March last year, much before this episode, Balakrishna had also invited solid criticism for making misogynistic remarks against women actors at an audio release functions.

“If I play eve-teasing roles, and just follow girls, my fans will not accept. Either they should be kissed or should be impregnated. That’s all. We have to commit ourselves,” he had said.

“I too act naughty with the actresses... I pinch them sometimes,” the actor added.