With 2024 just three years away, the Opposition TDP is trying to re-invent itself. The party is now trying to turn the tide of defeat into a huge success by taking up a massive outreach very soon. This outreach is all set to last for over a year so that all parts of the state are covered. If TDP insiders are to be believed, this yatra would be spearheaded by Nara Lokesh and he would in all probability invoke the name of his grandfather NTR.
Sources say that the main slogan of the yatra would be “Jai NTR – Jai Telugu Desam.” NTR’s charisma, leadership and pro-people attitude would be invoked throughout the yatra. According to TDP insiders, Lokesh will take a leaf from YSRCP’s YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and install NTR statues in every village. Like YS Jagan, Lokesh will inaugurate these statues en route his yatra. This would help in establishing Lokesh as the heir of NTR. A plan of action has reportedly been readied up for the unveiling of NTR statues in every village of the 13 districts in the state.
Along with this, Lokesh will be assisted by a team of advance party, who will identify the major problems of every village. Lokesh will speak about these problems when he visits the village. Thus, this will help Lokesh establish a powerful connect with the locals. In addition, the party network will help him about the local histories, traditions and other issues that could be mentioned during the yatra.
The TDP thinking heads feel that Lokesh will have one great advantage over his father Chandrababu Naidu. There would be no mention of the soured relations between NTR and Chandrababu and the memories of the August 1994 coup. Lokesh can start afresh and can capitalise on the grandfather-grandson connect. The nitty gritty of the yatra are reportedly being worked out.
