The growing clamour among the rank and file of the Telugu Desam Party to elevate IT Minister and Mangalagiri MLA Nara Lokesh in hierarchy seems to have found a significant ratification, albeit indirectly, from none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was all praises for the stupendous arrangements made for the successful conduct of International Yoga Day in Vizag.

Modi congratulated both Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for coordinating the event very well. What drew the attention of everyone was when he waxed lyrical about Nara Lokesh who was the man of the moment for all the efforts to make the event a grand success. Addressing Lokesh as Bhai and praising him profusely, Modi said ” He has proved how a social celebration should be planned, and executed and how all sections of society should be brought together in just one and a half month.

Calling it a remarkable achievement, Modi said “How Lokesh had organised the Yogandhra Abhiyan should serve as a role model for the rest of India”. His commendation received a huge applause from the crowd at the event. Lokesh was given the onerous responsibility to lead the organising committee behind such a massive event and he executed the task with full marks, earning the praise of the Prime Minister.

Lokesh was once discarded by his opponents as ‘Politically unfit’ after his defeat in 2019 elections. But, he proved his naysayers wrong with his tremendous transformation in the last five years and his landslide victory in 2025 silenced everyone. Slowly and steadily, Lokesh is transforming into a potent leader within the party and also cementing his place to take the baton from his father.

Modi’s public acclamation appears to be an acknowledgement for the fact that it is time for Lokesh to be named as Naidu’s successor soon or later.