Skipping Cabinet Meets: Nara Lokesh Triggers Political Buzz

There is a campaign in political circles that AP minister Nara Lokesh is already functioning as the unofficial Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Even officials are saying the same. In this context, the manner in which he is also taking cabinet meetings lightly is creating a major controversy. In the month of December alone, minister Nara Lokesh skipped two cabinet meetings consecutively. The reason for this was his foreign tour. Cabinet meetings have a certain sanctity. Unless it is an emergency, and that too unless there are unavoidable circumstances, no one usually stays away from cabinet meetings. If other ministers do this, even those in the Chief Minister’s position would not remain silent. When it comes to Nara Lokesh, discussions are going on among TDP leaders that everything has turned into his wish and will, and this is one such example. TDP sources say that he skipped the cabinet meeting held on December 29 due to his personal foreign tour.

No one objects to going on foreign trips with family. But deliberately skipping cabinet meetings and going like this is not at all right, opined a senior minister. It is known that in the month of December, minister Nara Lokesh went on a US tour citing participation in a party meeting as well as meetings with industrialists. At that time also, a cabinet meeting was held on December 11, in which several key decisions were taken. Nara Lokesh skipped this meeting as well, and the very next day he participated in the foundation-laying ceremony of Cognizant and other IT companies held in Vizag. After skipping the cabinet meeting, he landed in Vizag for private companies’ events and tried to claim that all these developments came because of his efforts. Officials are also of the opinion that the issue of minister Nara Lokesh skipping two cabinet meetings consecutively does not send good signals at all.