Nara Lokesh is facing a strange problem which is hindering his rise on the Telugu political horizon. He has got everything- a successful politician father, a successful political party, a state which he can claim his own, an army of party workers to receive him, a cavalcade of SUVs to follow him, a big business group etc., that a heir apparent of a political leader aspire for. But, something is amiss in the list mentioned above and that can’t be spelt out in clear terms. This is the reason delaying his rise on the lines of Jaganmohan Reddy or KTR among the masses. It may prove very difficult for him to overcome this unknown, indecipherable deficiency in his political career. May be, he can surmount the problem to some extent if he is inducted into cabinet.
Let’s see the problem of Nara Lokesh. It is not unacknowledged that Lokesh is the Political heir apparent of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. But, nobody is telling that he is the next chief minister. Because, Chandrababu Naidu, given his enormous energy at his command to work hard and disciplined life-style, is not showing signs of retirement.
But, the speculation of KCR retirement is thick in Telangana. There is almost unanimity that in 2019 KTR will take over from his father and KCR would switch over to National politics. The talk went to the extent that KCR might opt out for national politics in the current term itself and might entrust the responsibility of leading the party in 2019 with KTR. There is none in the party who can say that KTR lacks in experience. The way he deals with corporate honchos, foreign dignitaries and fellow ministers in the party, has convinced every minister that KTR has come of age.
In the case of YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy , his transition to the level of leadership was excruciatingly painful. The YSR legacy was not served to him on a silver platter. He struggled a lot; devised numerous strategies in the form of Yatras, faced cases, went to jail, earned dubious distinction of being quid-pro-quo man, and now MLAs are ditching him, continued cases etc. His course to the present stage was tortuous. Now, whether he would win the next election or not, he is now an acknowledged leader in the state. Following his father sudden demise, Jagan had no option but to embrace rough and tough of political life.
Yesterday, at Yerragondapalem in Prakasam district, a huge crowd had been mobilized for the meeting of Nara Lokesh. Last time, in Kadapa district too, the party leaders organized n unprecedented grand reception. From start to end leaders like Ravela Kishore Babu and MLA Magunta Srinivas Reddy eulogized him as the next “minister’, not as the next chief minister. They felt it was time Lokesh inducted into cabinet.
The TDP leaders, at present, are not able to see his future beyond cabinet berth, unlike in the case of KTR and Jagan, who are seen as next chief ministers, if they happen win the polls. KTR was just an MLA representing Sircilla in the united Andhra Pradesh and Jagan was an MP. They learnt the tricks of the trade slowly. This is the problem of Lokesh, that is obstructing his rise. Leaders like Muddukrishnama Naidu wants to see Chandrababu Naidu as chief minister till 2050. The sonrise is nowhere in sight yet.
