I am not an extra-Constitutional authority: Nara Lokesh

Guntur: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s son and TDP politburo member Nara Lokesh on Wednesday denied his role as an extra-constitutional authority in the TDP government. “Let anyone show me a single instance suggesting that I convened a meeting with Ministers and government officials and also my participation in the Cabinet meeting”, he shot back while fielding a question at a media conference here on Wednesday. He accused the Opposition of resorting to `Lokesh Japam” while indulging in a mud-slinging campaign against `our family’ day in and day out just to gain political mileage.

The 33-year old scion of Nara family looked soft and affable but faced a barrage of queries, some even irksome and controversial, with all ingenuity and showing no signs of irritation or impatience all through. Even though, a few nagging questions ranging from the prospects of his becoming a Minister to his virtues other than being the son of the CM that helped him to be at the helm of party affairs “I enrolled 50 lakh members in the party just in a span of 15 days flat, of course with the cooperation from the party workers and also ensured welfare of cadre by bringing 11,000 party workers from both the Telugu States under insurance cover.

Perhaps, these qualities might have prompted the party leaders to consider me for elevation as national general secretary and politburo member”, he asserted, silencing his detractors. The youth leader also justified the defections from the YSRC into his party involving nearly 20 MLAs. “It tends to happen since everyone is obviously attracted to good governance being offered by his party” he added.

Lokesh expressed anguish over a section of the media and opposition leaders stooping down to weave stories suggesting a rift between him and his father. Calling his father “sir or our leader” liberally, Lokesh maintained that his whole family has a great regard for his father. “We have made it a point to interact with each other for at least a couple of hours daily either in person or through a video conference to discuss family and business matters, regardless of wherever we are. Therefore, there is no dispute between me and our leader for a cabinet berth as depicted by the media”, he adds.

It was only my excruciating pain in the neck that forced me to attend a party programme which became the feed for the grapevine to spread far and wide, he said.When do you intend to join the Cabinet? “When my party mandates me to do so”, was his refrain. Same was the stock reply to another question on whether he will contest in 2019 elections. Lokesh showers praises on the abilities of his wife Brahmani in management of the Heritage Foods. “After she joined our family, I got some relief and took a break from my assignment as Executive Director in the Heritage foods and could focus more on party activities”, he said.

Even as Lokesh cautiously underplays his role in the party and government, but party leaders making a beeline to him seeking tickets for the upcoming municipal elections and almost falling over each other to draw his attention said it all. In fact, the packed narrow lanes with a fleet of vehicles, overzealous police restricting traffic moment right from the Arundalpet main road, clearly suggested his clout in the government.