Many loyalists in the Telugu Desam Party are reportedly not happy that the ‘son’ is not rising on the public horizon in Andhra Pradesh. The curious debate is that not much progress is there in the political rise of son of party supremo Chandrababu Naidu- Lokesh Babu.
It’s ok he is accepted as the only tallest person in the party after Chandrababu Naidu, though youngest ‘leader’ in national executive. He addresses party workers mobilized in huge numbers. Meetings are stage-managed for his visits. Long convoy of vehicles is kept ready for his tours. Party protocol is extended fully. He is given prominence in the party meetings. Now and then senior leaders, including ministers, wait for him at NTR Trust Bhavan. He periodically conducts reviews with ministers in the interest of people and party supporters. Everything is made available to the heir apparent of Naidu. Some ministers are promoting him as the author of certain welfare schemes the government launched in the past 17 months. But, still something is amiss. Something, which is more striking and arresting in his counterparts in other states, is absent in and around Lokesh. This has been identified by the loyalists of the party. This is the reason for the curious debate.
Politics in Andhra Pradesh and neighboring Telangana is silently taken over by Gen Next. In Andhra Pradesh YSRC party leader Jaganmohan Reddy represents the generational change. The power shift in Telangana is launched by K T Ramarao, son of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and daughter Kavita . Not only are they heirs apparent of their fathers, they are the state-power in their respective states. They are surrounded by the aura of power- not the party power, but state power. While Jagan is opposition leader and KTR is a minister for Information technology and PR . Kavita is the member of parliament. The political power derived from the party is getting intensified by the radiance of state power. In Hyderabad of Telangana , powerless Lokesh is totally eclipsed by the powerful siblings of KCR.
The loyalists are feeling terribly bad that their young-leader is totally deficient in this aspect. By virtue of their status in state, KTR is able to mingle with global leaders in IT and industrial sector as well as union ministers. Entire state administration is at his beck and call. KTC could meet the PM and other union ministers at the snap of a finger. He can talk of transforming the state of Telangana, city of Hyderabad with authority. Same is the case with Jagan, who commands authority by being the leader of opposition. Jagan met the PM and the central ministers as many times as chief minister Naidu did.
Lokesh promoters in the party feel that lack of a position in the power structure of the state is hindering the ‘ Son Rise’ in Andhra Pradesh outside the yellow pen. According to sources, these sidekicks of Lokesh putting pressure on Naidu to take him into cabinet through legislative council. It is learnt a couple of MLCs have already come forward to resign to make room for their future leaders. There is even suggestion that Lokesh be sent at least to Rajya Sabha in April.
