Ever since Union finance minister Arun Jaitely presented the central budget for 2018-19 in Parliament on February 1, every political leader in Andhra Pradesh, including the cabinet ministers in Chandrababu Naidu government reacted at some point or the other, criticising the Centre for doing injustice to the state.
The situation has led to war of words between the TDP and its ally Bharatiya Janata Party and went to such an extent that the relationship between both the parties is now on the brink of collapse.
Yet, there is one important person who did not utter a word either on the Central budget or on the non-implementation of promises made in AP Reorganisation Act by the Centre.
He is none other than Nara Lokesh, son of AP chief minister and presently, IT minister in the Naidu cabinet.
He has not even reacted on the growing distance between the TDP and the BJP and as the general secretary of the TDP, there was no direction from him to the party cadre on how to tackle the BJP issue.
So, it is nothing but natural to get the doubt as to where Lokesh is and why he is silent.
When the Union budget was presented and the TDP MPs were raising a hue and cry in Parliament, Lokesh was in the United States interacting with CEOs and representatives of various companies there to attract investments to the State. He returned to the state on February 7.
By that time, the political situation in the state was chaotic with the TDP and the BJP leaders attacking each other, YSR Congress party raking up the demand for special category status, Pawan Kalyan jumping into fray with plans of joint action committee and joint fact-finding committee and media cashing in on the sensational developments.
Perhaps, Lokesh did not understand what was going on in the party and why his father decided to go so aggressive against the BJP.
He might have thought if he opens up his mouth on such controversial issues, he might make some statements that might create unnecessary rupture in the already strained relations between the TDP and the BJP.
“So, he thought it is better to remain silent and leave everything to his father, instead of poking his nose into issues which he had absolutely no knowledge,” a party leader observed.
