Behind The News is your round-up of musings from corridors of power. It is no secret that Narendra Modi has a fondness for Pawan Kalyan. But in the grand chessboard of national politics, Modi knows that while affection is optional, alliances are essential.
Published May 22, 2025 | 9:03 AM ⚊ Updated May 22, 2025 | 9:03 AM
Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, his wife Brahmani, and their son Devansh with Narendra Modi.
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh and his family were recently hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in Delhi. Modi’s reception made it clear: Lokesh is not just the next-in-line for the TDP crown, he’s already being treated like one by Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have mastered the fine art of playing host, and with surprising flair. The other day, when Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, his wife Brahmani, and their son Devansh paid him a visit in Delhi, the prime minister welcomed them with all the warmth of a long-lost relative.
True to his word, made during his recent visit to Amaravati for the capital’s re-launch event, Modi made time for the young family at his official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, Delhi on 17 May. And not just a quick handshake and selfie; he spent nearly two full hours with them. That’s practically a weekend in Modi time!
What truly raised eyebrows was the affection he showered on the couple, something rarely seen in his interactions with leaders from non-BJP parties.
As soon as they arrived, Modi ushered them into his residence. Lokesh, ever the diligent student, followed the prime minister like a class monitor tailing the principal.
Brahmani stood nearby, with little Devansh adding to the family charm, as Modi graciously scribbled his signature on a coffee-table book about Yuvagalam — Lokesh’s padayatra that laid the foundation for the NDA’s thunderous comeback in Andhra Pradesh last year.
There was an unmistakable sense of camaraderie in the air — and probably a faint scent of political envy wafting in from another corner. One can only imagine Pawan Kalyan’s reaction.
After all, the actor-turned-politician has been considered Modi’s closest ally in Andhra Pradesh, loyally echoing the prime minister’s every word. Yet here was Modi giving the Lokesh family more attention than Pawan probably gets in a month of phone calls.
The warm interaction didn’t just make headlines — it subtly redrew political equations. The popular narrative that Pawan Kalyan is No. 2 in the Andhra Pradesh government took a gentle knock.
If gestures speak louder than protocol, Modi’s reception made it clear: Lokesh is not just the next-in-line for the TDP crown, he’s already being treated like one by Delhi.
Lokesh, long groomed by Chandrababu Naidu as his political heir, earned his stripes during the party’s darkest days under Jagan Mohan Reddy’s rule. His Yuvagalam padayatra rekindled hope among the TDP’s youth base and helped charge the party’s batteries.
Since the NDA’s return to power, he’s been everywhere — on the ground, in the media, and now apparently, in the Prime Minister’s good books too.
Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan’s attempts to assert himself — often through his spiritual detours and costume-drama politics — seem to be falling short of Lokesh’s steady, understated rise. Quietly but decisively, Lokesh appears to have overtaken Pawan Kalyan in political clout and Modi face time.
It is no secret that Narendra Modi has a fondness for Pawan Kalyan. But in the grand chessboard of national politics, Modi knows that while affection is optional, alliances are essential. The TDP’s full-throttle support is crucial for the NDA at the Centre. And for that, Modi needs to not just like Lokesh — he needs to look like he likes Lokesh more.
In politics, optics matter. And right now, the photo album in Modi’s drawing room tells its own story.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
