Nara Lokesh, who faced severe personal and political criticism from YSRCP leaders — particularly regarding his physical appearance and his defeat in the 2019 elections — emerged victorious in 2024, not only securing a personal win, but also playing a key role in the TDP-led NDA’s formation of the government in the state with a significant margin.
Lokesh demonstrated his leadership qualities during the party’s tough times by undertaking the ‘Yuva Galam’ padayatra. This initiative earned him widespread approval within the party ranks, positioning him as the second in command of the TDP after his father, N Chandrababu Naidu.
With a clear vision and unwavering confidence in the TDP’s return to power, Lokesh once again contested from Mangalagiri Assembly constituency in 2024, the same seat he lost in 2019, and secured a victory with a majority of over 90,000 votes.
Despite the numerous obstacles for his padayatra, Lokesh persevered, boosting the morale of the party cadre.
After the government’s formation, Lokesh took proactive steps to attract investments to the State and create large-scale employment opportunities for youth.
As the Minister of Human Resource Development, Lokesh introduced several reforms in the education sector. He focused on improving school infrastructure and announced plans to fill 16,437 teacher positions by the start of the next academic year. Additionally, he introduced a mid-day meal programme for intermediate students, set to begin in January 2025.
Lokesh is also working towards fulfilling his election promise of providing employment to 20 lakh youth over the coming years through skill development training tailored to the needs of industries.
As the Minister for Information and Technology, Lokesh is driving efforts to generate five lakh jobs in the IT and electronics sectors over the next five years.