Published Mar 15, 2026 | 12:00 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 15, 2026 | 12:00 PM
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Synopsis: Even though reports emerged that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu might vacate the chair and take up a national responsibility, the TDP leadership dismissed them. Meanwhile, he is also seemingly preparing his son and Minister Nara Lokesh to take up the chief minister’s chair after his time.
Nara Chandrababu Naidu is not going anywhere from Andhra Pradesh. To put it simply, he is unlikely to give up chief ministership of Andhra Pradesh for a role at the national level.
Ever since Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filed a nomination for the Rajya Sabha election a week ago, signalling an end to his role at the state level, Telugu media went overboard predicting a similar move by Naidu.
Newspapers and channels seen as pliant to Naidu’s TDP even went to the extent of speculating that he would be offered the position of deputy prime minister, drawing snide remarks from opponents. Perhaps on cue from TDP leadership, the story was killed within 24 hours.
Two aspects are missing everyone’s attention in the comparison between Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.
Unlike Bihar, where the BJP can have its chief minister in place of Nitish Kumar, the saffron party only has a single-digit number in Andhra Pradesh in the NDA alliance. Therefore, it has no stake/interest in the change of leadership in Andhra Pradesh.
Given how Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP function, the prospect of offering the deputy prime minister role to an ally without any real need is far-fetched. Unconfirmed reports suggested that a few TDP leaders mooted this idea with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leadership, but the response has been lukewarm.
Second, unlike Nitish Kumar, whose health has been failing for some time, Naidu is fit, both physically and mentally, and spends hours on official business almost daily.
For Nitish Kumar, a seat in the Rajya Sabha is an honourable parking place for the remainder of his life. What Naidu sees for himself is many more years of active life and clearly does not believe there is an urgent need for a change of baton.
How does this portend for the heir-in-waiting, Nara Lokesh?
A strong section within TDP believes that a transition in leadership is best done when the party is in power. It can be executed swiftly without any murmurs.
Also, there is hardly anything that Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who has no love lost for Lokesh, could do, given that TDP has more than adequate numbers in the Assembly and is not dependent on Jana Sena.
Proponents of this theory argue that with three more years till the next elections, there would be enough time for Lokesh to mature and grow in the top position before seeking a mandate from the people for another term. On the other hand, a bad result in 2029 could potentially make the transition difficult and open up the threat of fissures within.
According to the current working arrangement, all important decisions are being jointly taken by the father-son duo. Whether it is bureaucratic postings, policy matters or the launch of new projects. A nod from Lokesh is said to be a precondition before the father signs on the dotted line.
While the aged Naidu stays in the limelight, Lokesh is the one moving the pawns in the background, learning from mistakes and mastering how to build political strategies.
Naidu, at least, seems comfortable with his arrangement, and for now, Lokesh is chugging along, willingly or grudgingly.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
