Nara Lokesh’s Bihar Push Seen as Image-Building Move!
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is a well-recognized leader across the country. Having served as Chief Minister for a long time and also as the Leader of the Opposition, he has built a certain image for himself. Despite facing criticism, he remains one of the senior political figures in India. It is well known that TDP is currently a partner in the NDA government at the Centre. Unlike in the past, this time it was not Chandrababu Naidu but his son, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, who went to Bihar for the election campaign — and this has become a hot topic even among TDP leaders. Media outlets in Andhra Pradesh also gave wide coverage to Nara Lokesh’s Bihar visit. Usually, election campaigning involves participating in public meetings and rallies. But in contrast, Nara Lokesh went to Bihar and held only press meets there, calling them part of the campaign. The question arises — will people vote just because of press meets?
Even if Chandrababu Naidu, who enjoys national recognition, had gone to Bihar to campaign, it’s uncertain how much impact it would have created. The politics and conditions there are entirely different. Now, when Nara Lokesh goes to Bihar, meets industrialists, and holds press conferences, even TDP leaders are wondering whether that will actually help the BJP gain votes. In neighboring states like Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, where there are Telugu-speaking populations, one might expect some influence. But Bihar doesn’t have such a demographic. Yet, the fact that Nara Lokesh still went to Bihar and created buzz in the name of campaigning is being viewed by many as a move by Chandrababu and his team to start building a national-level image for his son.
Interestingly, neither Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu nor Minister Nara Lokesh have said a word urging people to vote for the BJP in the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election — even though it’s happening in Hyderabad, where they both have residences, and despite TDP being an ally of the BJP both nationally and in the state. But Nara Lokesh went all the way to Bihar and appealed to voters there to support the BJP-JD(U) alliance, saying the NDA government should be re-elected in Bihar. Some TDP leaders who watched those press conferences are questioning whether such activities can even be called an “election campaign.”
