Naidu’s son may become TDP working chief, say party leaders
Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu is likely to introduce major changes in the party organisational structure, functionaries familiar with the matter said on Wednesday
With Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) biennial conclave Mahanadu scheduled to be held in Kadapa from May 27 to 29, the party president and Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu is likely to introduce major changes in the party organisational structure, party functionaries familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
One major change that may happen is the appointment of Naidu’s son and party general secretary Nara Lokesh as the TDP working president, said a senior party member on the condition of anonymity.
He added that the proposal came up for discussion briefly at the TDP’s politburo meeting held at the party head office at Mangalagiri in Guntur district on Wednesday.
“The proposal to make Lokesh the working president of the party has been doing rounds in the party for quite some time. Naidu wants to hand over the party responsibilities to Lokesh, so he could focus on governance and administration. It is not immediately known whether the chief minister would make the announcement during this Mahanadu,” the functionary said.
He added Lokesh had proposed earlier that no leader should hold the same post for three consecutive terms (equivalent to six years); and that he or she should be either elevated to a higher position or entrusted with any other key responsibility.
Senior TDP leader and state agriculture minister K Atchennaidu told reporters, “For now, the politburo decided that mandal-level party presidents who have served for three terms would be either elevated to the state-level posts or given parallel party positions,” Atchennaidu said.
However, he did not clarify whether the decision is applicable to the other positions in the party as well.
“In fact, Lokesh himself indicated earlier that he doesn’t want to continue in the general secretary post again, as he has already served in the post for the three consecutive terms,” the party functionary quoted above said, adding that in that scenario, Lokesh might be elevated to the post of the TDP working president.
Another change that might happen during Mahanadu would be the induction of young faces into the party, particularly in the state committee and politburo.
“While seniors would continue in important positions with mostly advisory roles, Lokesh wants to prepare a young brigade of leaders by next elections,” the party leader said.
He said Lokesh, who is also being perceived as Naidu’s heir apparent, is going to set the road map for the party in the coming years.
Meanwhile, talking about the agendas for Mahandu, TDP president of Andhra Pradesh unit Palla Srinivasa Rao told reporters, “On the first day, there will be discussion on party policies, ideologies, and action plan, besides commencement of the process for the formal election of the TDP president. On Day 2, the party president will be declared elected and resolutions will be passed on development and welfare programs initiated by the coalition government. On May 29, there will be a public meeting at Kadapa, where Naidu will roll out the party’s road map for the next four years,” Rao said.
Atchennaidu said the politburo resolved to announce a welfare calendar ensuring the delivery of welfare benefits every month throughout the year. “It was decided that the government would credit cash amounts to accounts of Deepam 2.0 scheme, under which each beneficiary would get three LPG cylinders a year, even before they book the cylinders.
He added that on June 12, marking one year of the government formation, pensions will be distributed to one lakh single women and widows. The politburo also resolved that the government would launch “Talli Ki Vandanam” scheme (payment of ₹20,000 each woman for sending her children to school) and “Annadata Sukhibhava” (payment of ₹20,000 to each farmer every year) on the same day. “Free bus travel for women will also be initiated within two months,” the minister said.
