Nara Lokesh: No strings attached support to NDA, but we expect help for Andhra’s development

Telugu Desam Party has extended unconditional support to BJPled National Democratic Alliance (NDA), but we are looking forward to the Centre’s support for development of Andhra Pradesh as an electronics manufacturing hub of South India, an automotive cluster and peppering our long coastline with ports, TDP national general secretary and N Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh told Nidhi Sharma in an exclusive interview. Lokesh speaks on attracting private investment, the first decisions to be made and winning Mangalgiri for the first time since 1985. Excerpts:What do you want the Centre to do?TDP has extended unconditional support to NDA. So, there is no demand. But, we are looking forward to Centre’s support for fulfilling commitments that were made at the time of bifurcation of united Andhra Pradesh on development of Amravati as capital and Polavaram dam. There are performancelinked incentive schemes of the Centre and we would like Andhra to be given preference.What about the demand for a special status for Andhra an issue on which your father walked out of NDA in 2018?AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States In the runup to elections, no commitments were made. But Andhra Pradesh is a new state and needs handholding. We want to develop Andhra as an electronics manufacturing hub of South India, an automotive industry cluster, a sports hub and pepper our long coastline with ports so that it can become the gateway of the South. A special status does not create a developed state. This is the culmination of all these ideas. We are working out a framework and we need the Centre’s support.Would TDP like a common minimum programme for NDA?We unnecessarily create processes and then complain of things moving slowly. Both the leaders – Mr Naidu and Mr Modi – are senior leaders. Mr Naidu understands the sensitivities of running a coalition government. We will sit across the table and discuss if some issues crop up.Modi and Naidu have spoken in different voices over reservation for Muslims in the runup to elections…As far as Andhra Pradesh is concerned, we will continue to provide reservation to Muslims.

Where does TDP stand on contentious issues like Uniform Civil Code?

We have gone through the Bill and as long as there is no discrimination against any particular community we fully support it.

What will be the priorities of the Naidu government?

The first decision on which Mr Naidu will put his signature on will be filling up of vacant government posts through District Selection Committee. The second will be repealing of the draconian Land Titling Act. These two will be the first decisions taken in June. The third will be rolling out of pensions for the elderly, differentlyabled and women in July.

Will BJP be a part of the state government?

We haven’t discussed it yet. We have a meeting of NDA tomorrow (Friday) and we will have better clarity after that.

How serious are you about taking action against officers whose names are in your red diary?

Let me give you some context to the whole thing. I am a Stanford graduate. I returned to India to work for my party and the state. From 2013 to 2019, there was not a single criminal case against me. Between 2019 and 2024, 26 cases were foisted against me and I was taken to the police station 67 times. If a welleducated person like me has to contend with that, imagine how much a common man has been suffering under the YSRCP regime. The laws have been misused to target people. So, when I was on my padyatra I met people and wrote names of officers who had falsely targeted them. Now, we will institute an inquiry, even open it to people to complain against errant police officers and punish the guilty.

Is developing Amravati as capital of Andhra Pradesh back on the agenda?

what do you mean by back? It has always been on the agenda. Our idea is very clear – one state, one capital. It’s not just about developing Amravati. It is about decentralisation of development.

What will decentralisation of development mean for Andhra? We want to develop all districts as specific hubs. We have focus areas and want to build on them. We want to develop East and West Godavari districts for defence production and fisheries, Kakinada as petrochemical corridor, Kadapa as the sports capital of India and Kurnool for renewable energy. We have already started discussions with the industry leaders and in the first 100 days, there will be big bang announcements of private investment projects.

the victory has been big…

TDP has not won Mangalagiri, my constituency, since 1985. When I lost my first election in 2019, I had vowed that I will not leave the constituency and keep working and win it. I have won it by 91,143 votes.