A politician who is slapped before filing nomination

HYDERABAD: Majority of politicians contesting elections follow one religious practice or the other before filing their nomination papers.

Some visit places of worship while others seek blessings of their elders, but there is one politician in Andhra Pradesh who receives a slap on his face from his parents before filing the papers.

Former minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader M Venkateshwara Rao makes it a point to receive the slap from his mother or father every time he leaves the house to file nomination papers.

The TDP candidate for Dichpally assembly constituency in Nizamabad district Wednesday filed the papers only after receiving a slap on the face by his father amid the singing of hymns by a priest.

"It has been my practice for many years. I feel that receiving a slap from my elders augurs well. It reminds me of my commitment to the public," said Rao, who has represented the constituency four times and also served as minister in Chandrababu Naidu's cabinet.

Rao, who lost the 2004 elections, earlier used to keep it a family affair. This time he threw open his house to local television channels to film his strange practice.

Dichpally, along with 17 other assembly and 4 Lok Sabha seats, is going to polls in the May 29 by-elections.