NELLORE: Minister for Education and IT, Nara Lokesh, said that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has always stood by its workers and continues to be the only party in the country with a strong and emotionally connected cadre base. Lokesh paid rich tributes to late TDP State vice president and Agro Corporation Chairman Malepati Subba Naidu and his nephew Bhanu Chander by garlanding their portraits at Dagadarthi in the Kavali constituency on Thursday.
The Minister later visited the bereaved family, consoled them, and assured full support.
Speaking to the media, Lokesh said that while many regional parties exist across India, it is only the Telugu Desam Party that draws its strength from its loyal cadre. “The sight of the yellow flag itself is an emotion for every TDP worker. Even at the recent Mahanadu, our party declared that the worker is our true leader,” he remarked.
Lokesh said that the party had set up a welfare fund for workers in 2014, through which Rs 135 crore has already been spent to support them. He added that a model school in Hyderabad provides corporate-level education to children of TDP workers who lost their lives in factional attacks. “Many of those children are now working in leading global firms like Deloitte and Accenture,” he said, recalling similar experiences from his Yuva Galam padayatra.
Expressing grief over Subba Naidu’s demise, Lokesh said, “We lost a disciplined, dedicated leader and a man of integrity. I entered active politics in 2013, and from that time, Subba Naidu garu was always close to me. We shared a strong bond and many cheerful conversations.” He recalled rushing to the hospital to ensure the best medical treatment when Subba Naidu suffered a brain stroke recently, describing his loss as deeply painful.
Lokesh praised Subba Naidu’s contribution as mandal party president, State vice president, and Agro Corporation chairman, saying he relentlessly fought for people’s causes from 2019 to 2024. “When a TDP activist named Karunakar was harassed and driven to suicide, Subba Naidu stood firmly by his family and even helped release their mortgaged property using his own funds,” he said. Lokesh added that Subba Naidu played a key role in organising massive public gatherings whenever Chandrababu Naidu visited the constituewncy.
He further shared, “During my Yuva wdu accompanied me for five days, walking with me and discussing constituency issues. Every ten days, he used to call and check how the padayatra was progressing.”
He also condemned the false propaganda being spread on social media to defame the family and warned of strict action.