HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s son Lokesh, who is already calling the shots both in the party and the government, is expected to be given a ‘bigger’ responsibility at the party’s annual conclave, Mahanadu, scheduled to take place on May 27, 28 and 29.
According to sources, Naidu, who has decided to conduct the Mahanadu at Amaravathi, the new State capital, on a grand scale, is of the view that the party’s maiden mega event — in the reorganised State and the new capital — is the right forum for the elevation of his son. “It is an open secret that Naidu’s son has been calling the shots in the party and the government. But, the party leadership wants to give him a key post in the party so as to give legitimacy to his involvement in party affairs,” a senior MLA, who is close to the TDP chief’s family, told Express.
Lokesh, the Stanford-educated businessman-turned-politico, has, of late, been focusing on winning the hearts and minds of the party cadre with the introduction of various welfare schemes for them, probably as a prelude to his anointment.
During the recent party membership drive, Lokesh had introduced insurance concessions in corporate hospitals for the party workers. On Monday, he started classes in the Skill Development Centre, set up at the party headquarters here, to train the party workers in any trade of their choice. “We are imparting technical and other skills to batches of 250 workers each to help them get jobs in industries,” Lokesh said, adding that the TDP would set up skill development centres in each district across AP and Telangana in the next two years for the sake of the party cadre.
In fact, Lokesh is all set to go on a yatra across AP and Telangana from April 14 to ‘console’ families of TDP workers, who died either in accidents or political violence in the last 10 years — much like YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s ‘Odarpu Yatra’. Soon after the TDP came to power, Naidu had appointed his son as the coordinator of the ‘welfare fund’, set up for the welfare of party workers.
Ever since, Lokesh has been involving himself in party affairs actively. He has been taking part in meetings with ministers along with his father. He is reportedly assessing the performance of ministers and MLAs. The talk in TDP circles is that Naidu put ‘non-performing’ ministers on notice, basing on his reports.
Lokesh assessing ministers, MLas
Lokesh has been taking part in meetings with ministers along with his father. He is reportedly assessing performance of ministers and MLAs. The talk in TDP circles is that Naidu put ‘non-performing’ ministers on notice, basing on his reports and hinted at a Cabinet rejig after June 2.