Nara Lokesh says if the Visakhapatnam steel plant is to be privatised despite their efforts to stall the move, the TDP government will take it over.
Nara Lokesh on his campaign trail in Mangalagiri assembly constituency. (Supplied)
TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh is sure he will take action against the people who feature in his “red book”. His assurance comes from the confidence that TDP would form the government in Andhra Pradesh after the upcoming elections.
According to Lokesh, this “red book” contains the names of bureaucrats and officials who worked “unconstitutionally” against the TDP under the commands of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
TDP — founded by the late actor-politician NT Rama Rao — is fighting the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh as part of the NDA led by the BJP.
The regional party is led by his father and former chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.
Lokesh, seen as the party’s heir apparent, suffered a defeat in his electoral debut in the 2019 Assembly elections from the Mangalagiri constituency.
He is now seeking to turn the tables by contesting from the segment for the second time.
However, if he wins, it is not just his debut into the state Assembly but carries broader implications toward the political landscape in the state.
The TDP could position him as an alternative leader to his father’s former friend-turned-foe — the son of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and incumbent Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
In conversation with South First, Lokesh discusses various topics, including why TDP joined the NDA, ,its plan for the Visakhapatnam steel plant, TDP’s approach in Telangana, and the “red book”.
Q. How is it going in the Mangalagiri constituency? Are you confident about turning the tables?
A. I’m enjoying it. In 2019, I was given this seat just 21 days before the election. It’s a tough seat for TDP — the party has a history of only two wins from here, back in the 1980s.
Unfortunately, I didn’t do well enough to win the seat in 2019, but I dedicated the last four years and 11 months to this constituency.
I’ve done a lot of great work, and I truly believe that in the upcoming elections, it’s going to be a landslide victory for the TDP in Mangalagiri.
Q. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released his party’s manifesto for the elections. What do you think about it?
A. If you look at his governance, he often talks about pressing a button, but a chief minister’s responsibility goes beyond that. It’s about creating an ecosystem of jobs and investing in capital expenditure, such as roads.
It’s about providing the basic necessities, like drainage and drinking water to every household. His manifesto doesn’t reflect any long-term vision for the state.
It’s full of shallow promises, likely to create an inflationary situation in Andhra Pradesh.
Q. YS Jagan is focusing on welfare schemes, arguing that YSRCP brought Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes. He says people should vote for YSRCP to continue those schemes. What’s your response?
A. Jagan is someone who thinks only about himself. Welfare programs in Andhra Pradesh were introduced by our (TDP) founder NTR. DBT was part of our manifesto in 2009.
I was part of the committee that announced it. In 2014, we delivered on that promise.
Ironically, Jagan claims that TDP won’t implement welfare programs when most of his welfare programs stem from TDP’s tenure.
Q. When will TDP release its manifesto?
A. We’ve already rolled out our “Super Six” initiatives and have been taking them to every doorstep for the last few months.
Our broader manifesto is being developed in collaboration with our NDA partners Jana Sena and BJP, and we’ll release it soon.
Q. Why did TDP join the NDA? Given the perception that the BJP isn’t secular, will TDP lose support among minorities in Andhra Pradesh?
A. The current administration has incurred about ₹12 lakh crore in debt. We need the central government’s support to govern the state and align with the prime minister’s vision to create a developed nation by 2047.
We believe Andhra Pradesh has a crucial role to play in that vision. Our alignment with NDA is based on our shared interest in development and job creation.
Q. A party with fewer votes than NOTA (BJP) is contesting six parliamentary and 10 Assembly seats. How do you view that?
A. In any alliance, there’s a give-and-take. It’s like a marriage; there will be ups and downs. Our priority is the state’s welfare and creating a vibrant economy.
So, I don’t think we should just take that vote base as a yardstick to measure that.
Q. What will happen to promises like special status and steel plant privatisation if TDP comes to power?
A. The BJP has already declared Amaravati as Andhra Pradesh’s capital. We will continue with decentralised development, which we’ve always done.
As the TDP and NDA work together, we will complete the Polavaram project. The backward district funds, which were supposed to be allocated, haven’t been secured under the current chief minister, YS Jagan. We plan to fight for these funds and bring them to the state.
The Vizag railway zone project is on hold because the state hasn’t allocated the required land. If TDP comes to power, we will ensure the land is allocated to move the project forward.
Regarding the steel plant, we believe it should not be privatised. If, despite our efforts, privatisation proceeds, the TDP government will consider purchasing the plant to run it as a state enterprise.
Q. What’s your opinion on the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu by the CID?
A. When he was sent to judicial remand, I truly believed it was an unfair and unjust action towards someone who has served the state and the nation for 40 years, dedicating his life to progress and development.
Consider biotech, pharma, IT sectors and its entire supporting ecosystem, including modern Cyberabad are all his brainchild. He was also part of the telecom deregulation committee and the privatisation committee.
Yet, he was sent to judicial remand for 53 days on a false case with no evidence. As a youngster, party leader, and son, I felt betrayed. Despite this, he emerged stronger than ever after 53 days in judicial remand.
I kept telling people that he was a lion. Whether a lion is caged or in the forest, it’s still a lion.
Q. So, you believe all charges against him and you are false?
A. If Mr Naidu was truly corrupt, why doesn’t the current administration bring forward more cases or evidence against him? He’s not corrupt, and there’s no doubt about it.
If a corrupt person is sent to jail, you’d expect new allegations or evidence to surface every day. But in the case of Mr Naidu, every day in remand revealed the good work he’d done for the state and the nation.
Telugu people from around the world had shown solidarity with him. In Hyderabad, without any influence from the party, IT professionals and about 45,000 youngsters came together to host a gratitude concert. It meant a lot to us and it strengthened our resolve and resilience.
Q. Is the decision to establish Amaravati as the capital a political decision? YSRCP points towards TDP and alleges corruption in the Amaravati region.
A. Why did Jagan support Amaravati if it was a political decision? When the government tabled the Bill in the Assembly, Jagan made it clear that he supported Amaravati. During his 2019 campaign, he also said he wouldn’t move the capital from Amaravati.
So why did he take a U-turn now? He should answer this question. The people of Andhra Pradesh agreed with Amaravati as the capital. All the legislators voted in favour of it, and the prime minister laid the foundation stone in Amaravati. How can YS Jagan now reverse this decision?
It’s clear that there should be one capital for ease of governance, though development should be decentralised. We achieved that balance, so why change course now?
Q. What do you mean by the “Red Book”?
A. Over the last five years, there’s been a breakdown in constitutional governance in Andhra Pradesh. The only institution that seems to be protecting people’s interests is the high court.
The current administration has taken decisions against the interests of the people and the media. They attacked our party office, our chief Chandrababu Naidu, and even me during my padayatra. Officials who break the law will face judicial inquiry, and those found guilty will face consequences.
Q. How do you respond to accusations of revenge politics?
A. This isn’t revenge politics but accountability. How is it revenge when someone breaks the law and you hold them accountable?
If we let officials go without consequences, we undermine the Constitution. The law must be equal for everyone. If the law is used for political gain against one party and disregarded for another, the system is broken.
Q. What is your opinion on the conflict between YS Jagan and his sister YS Sharmila?
A. The way she has been treated was extremely unfair, and I think she realised it. My mother and my wife were abused, and a deepfake audio was released to tarnish them.
YSRCP is a habitual offender of women and targets anyone who stands up for the state. Even TDP’s women volunteers were subjected to morphing on social media.
Sharmila is facing this kind of abuse now but we’ve been enduring it for the last four years and 11 months.
I stand in solidarity with her because, as a woman, she’s being humiliated and targeted. We understand the pain she’s experiencing. I know what my mother had to go through, and it’s truly unfair.
Q. Why are you criticising the government’s advisors? What’s the issue?
An advisor’s role should be to aid ministers and promote the state by bringing in investments through their networks.
What does Sajjala Rama Krishna Reddy offer? He worked at Sakshi, a media company owned by YS Jagan, and then joined the government as an advisor with a high salary and a Cabinet rank.
It’s unfair that he holds this position with no relevant background or experience and has significant influence over the state’s decisions. This extra-constitutional role undermines proper governance and is used to threaten the TDP workers through.
He’s also simply a tool to weaken the ministers and centralise power in the Chief Minister’s Office.
Q. If you win in Mangalagiri and TDP forms the government, will you lead the party?
The face of TDP is Chandrababu Naidu, without question. My role is to strengthen the party. TDP is a highly democratic organisation, which means implementing changes requires hard work, debate, and discourse.
I plan to dedicate the next five years to making the party stronger. I believe Andhra Pradesh needs Chandrababu Naidu’s governance for at least another 10 years to get back on track.
Q. What about your relationship with Pawan Kalyan and NDA leaders?
A. My relationship with Pawan Kalyan has been fantastic. He was the first to call me following Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest, offering support and guidance.
I’ve also been in touch with BJP leaders, who have been very proactive in helping us with state and national issues.
Our relationship with NDA is strong, and are looking forward to continuing this journey together.
Q. What are TDP’s plans in Telangana? The party didn’t contest the Assembly or parliamentary elections. Is the regional party leaving that space to the BJP?
A. I think it’s too early to comment on our plans. For various reasons, we couldn’t contest elections in Telangana. There’s a strong cadre in Telangana that’s calling for strong leadership.
However, our focus is mainly on the Andhra Pradesh elections for now. We’ll address our approach in Telangana after discussions with the party.
Q. Are you saying TDP is searching for strong leadership in Telangana?
A. The party doesn’t believe in importing leaders. Ironically, Telangana’s first two chief ministers — KCR and Revanth Reddy — were from TDP.
TDP is known for nurturing leaders, a tradition that began with NTR and continues with Chandrababu Naidu.
Q. How many seats do you expect to win in this election?
A: If everything go by our plans before the silent period begins, we should win nothing less than 160 of 175 Assembly seats and 23 of 25 parliamentary seats.
The chief minister doesn’t even have a scar after the alleged stone-pelting, which shows that it’s all for show and nothing more.
People are treating it as a joke, believing that what Andhra Pradesh really needs is strong leadership and a strong alliance.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
May 15, 2024
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