TDP leader and Chandrababu Naidu’s son, Nara Lokesh, today emphasized that the party’s focus will be on creating jobs and uplifting the marginalized in Andhra Pradesh. The party won 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh and played a crucial role in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning the elections.
Mr. Lokesh stated that they would continue the reservation provided to Muslims in the state, a policy that their alliance partner BJP staunchly opposes.
“It [reservation for Muslims] has been in place for the last two decades, and we stand by it. We intend to continue it,” Mr. Lokesh said in an exclusive interview with NDTV.
The 41-year-old clarified that the reservation is not about appeasement but social justice, as minorities in the state have the lowest per capita income.
“It’s a fact that minorities continue to suffer and that they have the lowest per capita income. As a government, it is my responsibility to bring them out of poverty. So, whatever decisions I take are not for appeasement but to bring them out of poverty,” he said.
“If we want to make our nation a developed nation, we cannot leave anyone behind. We should do it together, and there is a great opportunity to do so. It has been the trademark of the TDP to take everyone together,” Mr. Lokesh added.
Nara Lokesh played a key role in the party’s stellar performance in the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh. After the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Lokesh took over the reins of the TDP and undertook a 4,000-kilometre ‘padayatra’ to reach the masses.
Speaking about Mr. Naidu’s arrest, the TDP leader said that it was vendetta politics and that his father was wrongfully jailed for 52 days.
“We are victims of vendetta politics. The rule of law should be implemented equally for everyone. There is no place for vendetta politics in India,” he said.
The leader also dismissed reports that the TDP is seeking the speaker’s post and some key portfolios in the new cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will be sworn in on Sunday.
“TDP never negotiates for posts; we only negotiate for funds for the state. We don’t ask for ministries. Our interest is the state’s interest,” Mr. Lokesh told NDTV.