Lokesh Says TDP Must Evolve With Changing Times

Vijayawada: Stressing the need for continuous organisational renewal, Telugu Desam general secretary and education minister Nara Lokesh has said the party must evolve with the changing times while firmly safeguarding its ideological core.

He advocated internal reforms, including term limits for party posts, and said a village-level party president should be able to rise to the party’s polit bureau.

“The true strength and backbone of the TD lay in its committed cadre, whose sacrifices have sustained the party through challenging periods,” Lokesh said at the inauguration of a parliament committee workshop at the TD central office in Mangalagiri on Tuesday.

TD state president Palla Srinivasa Rao was also present.

Newly appointed TDP presidents and general secretaries of 25 parliamentary constituencies, committee members and senior leaders attended the programme. Floral tributes were paid to party founder NT Rama Rao, followed by the lighting of the ceremonial lamp.

Lokesh said responsibilities in the party have been entrusted only to those with commitment. Some 83 per cent of the members in the newly constituted parliament committees were first-time appointees, reflecting the party’s emphasis on nurturing new leadership.

“I respect seniors and juniors alike and encourage those who work sincerely,” he said.

Describing the chief minister as the country’s brand ambassador of development and welfare, Lokesh said Naidu was a trendsetter with unmatched foresight. He recalled that when IT was introduced in 1995, critics had mocked the move, but today the growth of the sector has transformed countless families.

He said Andhra Pradesh was attracting major investments from global companies such as ArcelorMittal, Google and Cognizant due to Naidu’s credibility.

Highlighting the state’s welfare initiatives, Lokesh said the government was spending nearly Rs 30,000 crore annually on pensions alone. Old-age pensions had been raised to Rs4,000 per month, disability pensions to `6,000, and bedridden people’s support to Rs 15,000. He listed schemes like free bus travel for women under Stree Shakti, free LPG cylinders under the Deepam scheme and the Annadata Sukhibhava for farmers.

Despite hurdles, the government completed the DSC recruitment within 150 days, provided jobs to 16,000 teachers, and appointed 6,000 police constables, he said.

Lokesh stressed that communicating achievements to the public was as important as implementing programmes.

Calling for unity, the minister urged leaders to resolve differences internally and work collectively for long-term governance and development. He asked party functionaries to use technology such as the My TDP app and implement party programmes diligently.

Later, Lokesh attended the training sessions as a participant and reviewed the proceedings personally.

Ministers, MLAs, MPs, senior leaders and party functionaries attended the workshop.