‘Narendra Modi promised to deliver special category status to Andhra Pradesh, backed out’
Ruling out prospects of taking over from his father Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh Babu, who is panchayati raj and IT minister in Andhra Pradesh government, claims that a successor will emerge in natural course. Lokesh spoke to Gali Nagaraja about the leadership vacuum that may be created if Naidu chooses to enter national politics. Edited excerpts:
What’s the role do you see for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) at the national level in 2019?
We will certainly play a decisive role in installing a nonBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre. Given his stature and acceptability, our leader Naidu will hopefully stitch up a National Front-like arrangement by involving all non-BJP regional parties and the other national parties. We will have to see if the Congress will be part of that arrangement.
In that case if Naidu moves to the Centre who will succeed him in Andhra Pradesh?
That question is unlikely to arise (at least for now) Naidu continues to be the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. After all, Andhra Pradesh is a fledgling state which badly needs a visionary and a strong leader like him for rebuilding. His vision and innovative ideas are unparalleled. Replacing him is very difficult.
Does it mean, TDP suffers from a leadership crisis?
No, there is no dearth of leadership in our party. Our ministers and legislators have got a vast experience in politics.
Who is your party’s main rival at the national level?
Obviously, it’s Narendra Modi and the BJP. When Modij promised to deliver the special category status to Andhra Pradesh and backed out, it’s (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi who has expressively committed to deliver it.
You seem to be cosying up to the Congress. However, wasn’t the TDP started by your grandfather N T Rama Rao on an antiCongress platform? Now the party has aligned with the Congress in Telangana. Is it a dilu tion of NTR’s ideals?
Yes, NTR founded the party to uphold the self-pride of Telugu-speaking people. When the Congress rode roughshod with Telugu sentiments, he launched a spirited fight against that party then. The situation now has changed. It is the BJP which is now hurting the sentiment of Andhra people by denying the special category status, whereas the Congress came forward empathising with the concerns of Andhra people. Obviously, the party is expected to respond accordingly.
However, your aunt and BJP leader Daggubati Purandhareswari is highly critical of your party leadership for siding with Congress by abdicating NTR’s ideology. Your comments.
As NTR’s daughter she joined the Congress and served as a Union minister in UPA-II. Does she have any moral right to talk on the subject? I just leave it to her wisdom.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader K Chandrasekhar Rao is pitching for a nonCongress, nonBJP Federal Front. Will the TDP be part of it?
Where is the Federal Front? KCR is sold out to the BJP and people won’t believe him. He trains guns only against Chandrababu Naidu while hobnobbing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. TRS is getting ready to gift away its Lok Sabha seats to the BJP.
VIJAYAWADA:
How will your party counter the opposition in the state in 2019?
Where is the opposition? YSR Congress’s Jaganmohan Reddy after is a non-entity with criminal cases against him. He has lost credibility. Both Jagan and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan, are actually covert (partners) of Narendra Modi, who are enemies of Andhra people.
Will Bramhani, your wife, enter the portals of assembly or Parliament in 2019?
It is completely left to her. If she is willing, who am I to prevent her. I can’t make decisions on her behalf.
There is a view among NTR’s family that some of them have not been accommodated in TDP. Was his grandson sidelined as he might overshadow you?
In fact, they got more representation in party during Chandrababu Naidu’s rule than during NTR’s tenure. The party ensured representation for NTR family in Rajya Sabha , Assembly and in the party’s highest decision-making body. As for Jr NTR , I never felt any threat from him. He is free to take up any work in the party.