Speculation around the much-anticipated elevation of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh as the party’s working president during the recently concluded three-day Mahanadu in Kadapa appears to have been nothing more than media hype.
Though Lokesh’s elevation seemed likely — with several party MLAs, ministers, and politburo members openly confirming the possibility to reporters — it ultimately did not materialize during the event.
On stage, senior TDP leaders, including Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, TDP Andhra Pradesh unit president Palla Srinivas Rao, Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav, and former minister Dhulipala Narendra, made direct appeals to party president N. Chandrababu Naidu to appoint Lokesh as working president.
Additionally, leaders from various districts submitted resolutions passed during their respective Mini Mahanadus, urging Lokesh’s appointment.
Although Naidu acknowledged their suggestions and accepted the representations, he refrained from making any official comment or announcement.
Party sources explained that TDP traditionally does not announce its organizational appointments during Mahanadu, except for the election of the party president.
“The remaining state-level posts — such as vice-presidents, general secretaries, joint secretaries, and treasurer — are usually finalized and announced later,” a senior leader noted.
According to the leader, Chandrababu Naidu is expected to take time to deliberate on organizational changes.
“It could take a couple of weeks, but there is still a strong possibility that Lokesh will be named working president along with other appointments in due course,” he added.
