The demand surfaced a few months after CM M.K. Stalin in the neighboring Tamil Nadu made his son, minister and political heir Udhayanidhi Stalin the deputy chief minister. Lokesh, too, is the undisputed political heir to Naidu.
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Andhra Pradesh already has NDA ally and JanaSena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan, as the deputy CM. Kalyan was crucial to the coalition’s spectacular victory in the simultaneous assembly and general elections last summer, a fact acknowledged publicly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As the vastly experienced Naidu became the CM again for the fourth time, Pawan, with an unprecedented 100 percent strike rate in the 2024 polls, adjusted with the deputy post. Though it lacks any statutory significance, the designation helped keep Pawan, with 20 MLAs, two MPs and more importantly the BJPs backing, in good humour.
Elevating Lokesh as a deputy CM, while immediately diluting their leader’s position in government strongly conveys Naidu’s power transition plans for his son, sooner or later, according to JSP leaders.
In his previous term, Naidu had two deputies from his TDP, when the positions carried no weight unlike now. So, JSP leaders are not taking the demand of their TDP counterparts lightly, dubbing it as their “over-enthusiasm, overlooking the coalition dharma”.
“We don’t see anything wrong in TDP leaders’ wish to see Lokesh as deputy CM. As JSP workers, we have also been waiting for over 10 years, to see our leader Pawan as the CM. That has been my ardent prayer at temples,” JSP leader Kiran Royal quipped Monday.
Royal emphasised that the pre-poll agreement among the TDP, the JSP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with which the coalition went into elections and formed the NDA government and committed for AP’s prosperity should not be disturbed.
“The pact should be maintained for everyone’s good, going forward too. We should mind that we are in a coalition while talking on such aspects,” Royal said, cautioning the TDP leaders against providing the opposition YSRCP an opportunity to make it an issue.
“The TDP leaders made public their wish while we could not,” the JSP leader remarked on aspirations within the two allies.
However, TDP MLA Somireddy told ThePrint that JSP supporters shouting ‘CM, CM’ slogans are a common sight at Pawan’s public appearances.
“I backed Srinivasa Reddy’s proposal, as I too think Lokesh is fit for the deputy CM post. He proved his mettle with Yuvagalam padayatra, prior to the 2024 polls, which helped the TDP led coalition come to power. Our demand is not to put anyone in discomfort. As TDP men, we only expressed our firm opinion, ambition,” Somireddy, a former minister, said. “It is up to the bosses of three parties to dwell on the matter.”
తెలుగుదేశం పార్టీ జాతీయ ప్రధాన కార్యదర్శి, రాష్ట్ర మంత్రివర్యులు శ్రీ నారా లోకేష్ బాబును డిప్యూటీ సీఎం చేయాలన్న పొలిట్ బ్యూరో సభ్యుడు ఆర్. శ్రీనివాసులు రెడ్డి ప్రతిపాదనను నేను సమర్థిస్తున్నాను. ఆ పదవికి @naralokesh వంద శాతం అర్హులే. రాజకీయంగా అనేక డక్కామొక్కిలు తిని, అవమానాలు… pic.twitter.com/swFgZEn6eq
— Somireddy Chandra Mohan Reddy (@Somireddycm) January 19, 2025
The first to float the idea publicly was TDP politburo member Reddeppagari Srinivasa Reddy, in presence of CM Naidu directly appealing him to elevate Lokesh.
“Our strong wish is to see the third-generation leader Lokesh promoted as the deputy CM, as an assurance for the party’s bright future. We are witness to his efforts bringing IT, industries to AP and aiding youth with jobs,” Srinivasa said at an event in Kadapa district to commemorate TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao’s 29th death anniversary on Saturday.
However, Naidu did not respond to the fresh appeal.
Also Read: SRIVANI trust & other Jagan decisions continue at Tirupati, talks of ’embarrassment’ in TDP ranks
No end to chorus
On Monday as more and more TDP leaders joined the chorus, and the YSRCP began to highlight the coalition frictions, the ruling party reportedly sent out a message to its leaders advising not to talk publicly on the subject anymore.
Nevertheless, industries minister T.G. Bharath, who is accompanying Naidu and Lokesh at Davos, took the matter to the next level and that too, in the presence of father-son duo.
“We have a long-term vision, clarity for the party’s future. Whether some people like it or not, (our) future is Lokesh garu. He is also the future CM,” the Kurnool MLA said at an interactive meeting with Telugu NRIs, entrepreneurs on the sidelines of Davos world economic forum summit on Monday.
Bharath’s remarks were seen as provocative and controversial, especially after JSP leader Royal’s public reservations to calls of Lokesh as deputy CM.
Yet again, Naidu nor his son Lokesh responded to Bharath’s utterances on stage, nor were they seen signalling him to stop talking on the already divisive subject back home.
A section of Telugu media reported that Naidu admonished Bharath later for statements irrelevant to the forum, deviating from their purpose of attracining industries-investments to the state.
A senior JSP leader said the timing “too early, just seven months into the new government” is highly intriguing.
“We all know Naidu’s desire at the end of the day is seeing his son succeed him as CM. But why upset the applecart now, so soon? There is no apparent rationale,” the functionary said.
“Any tweaking to the arrangement could make the coalition’s future delicate. But one thing is clear, deputy CM Pawan’s rising charisma, his public aura despite Lokesh calling the shots in the government has been rattling a section of the TDP leaders.”
Of late, Lokesh is seen as ruling the roost in the TDP and to a large extent the government too, “as Naidu lets his son get a grip on party and state affairs”.
Even the new chief secretary K. Vijayanand is seen as Lokesh’s pick, superseding six senior IAS officers.
Over the past few months, Pawan was critical of the TDP led government, especially over some aspects like law and order, rising crimes on women. The JSP chief was unsparing, with his scathing remarks on Tirupati administration and TTD’s alleged mismanagement that resulted in six devotee deaths in stampede at the temple town earlier this month.
The deputy CM demand, according to the JSP leader, “seen from one angle, can be brushed off as TDP’s internal matter, coming from two jobless senior politburo members vying for some posts”.
Varma, the former Pithapuram MLA who gave up his candidature for Pawan as part of alliance seat adjustment, has a reason to be miffed as he is yet to be rehabilitated politically, even as Naidu announced Pawan’s elder brother Konidela Naga Babu induction into the cabinet soon. The entry will be through the council membership later this year.
“After Yuvagalam, Lokesh was instrumental in TDP’s drive ending in a record one crore party membership. So, it is only fair making him the deputy CM,” Varma told reporters.
But if the above-mentioned JSP leader is to be believed, “it could be Naidu’s strategy of testing the waters.” “For now Naidu nor Lokesh have categorically rejected the demand. Let us see where this episode leads to!”
The BJP, the third partner in the coalition, has not responded on the matter officially, with Andhra Pradesh unit chief D. Purandeswari maintaining silence.
However, a senior BJP leader, told ThePrint,”public demands from party leaders on one side, our information is that Naidu is facing pressure from within the family too, to elevate Lokesh soon, putting him in a dilemma.”
“For now, we will watch without intervening as TDP and JSP spar. One aspect is clear, both parties are becoming more and more insecure of each other. There is an apparent cold war going on over who’s the next CM—Lokesh or Kalyan,” the BJP leader added.
Former YCRCP minister Ambati Rambabu remarked that “Naidu’s mastermind plans, shrewd strategies are never easily understandable”.
“These are indications of some major political changes in the offing in AP, in favour of Lokesh. He is being projected as the future leader, and if possible, the plan is to make him the CM in this term itself. Hence, this experimentation, Naidu’s drama. Let us see what happens,” Ambati said.
“But Lokesh as CM, Pawan as deputy CM will look ridiculous and JSP supporters, and Kapu community would outrightly reject Naidu’s plan. I am afraid Naidu would ruin the state for the sake of his son.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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