Nara Lokesh appointed national working president of TDP

Hyderabad: The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh has unveiled a sweeping organisational overhaul, placing Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's son and cabinet minister Nara Lokesh at the centre of its leadership structure, a move that signals an unmistakable generational transition in one of Andhra Pradesh's most powerful political parties.

Naidu on Wednesday announced the creation of a new post National Working President and appointed Lokesh to fill it, a decision that firmly positions the younger Naidu as the party's heir apparent and lays out a clear roadmap for its future leadership. Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivas was simultaneously appointed State President, completing a leadership realignment designed to fortify the party's organisational machinery ahead of future electoral battles.

Lokesh, who previously served as the party's National General Secretary, has steadily consolidated his influence within the TDP most visibly through his high-profile Yuva Galam pada yatra before the 2024 polls and is widely regarded as the most powerful figure in both the government and the party after his father. Wednesday's announcement formalises what has long been an open secret within TDP circles.

In another landmark appointment, the party named MP Dr Byreddy Shabari as its first-ever woman national general secretary. She joins MP and union minister K Ram Mohan Naidu and Rajesh Kilaru in the role.

"This decision sends a strong political message, aligning with the broader vision of enhanced women's representation, particularly in the context of the Women's Reservation framework," a senior TDP leader said.

The restructured organisational architecture comprises a 29-member Politburo, the party's highest decision-making body, a 31-member National Committee, and an expansive 185-member State Committee.

Party leaders said the committees were constituted after extensive deliberations, with careful attention to social, regional, and political balance, and with an eye on long-term goals including the 2029 elections and potential constituency reorganisation.

Of the 185 State Committee members, 122 belong to weaker sections 77 from Backward Classes, 25 from Scheduled Castes, 7 from Scheduled Tribes, and 13 from minority communities broadly in line with population ratios.

Women have been accorded unprecedented prominence, with 50 included in the State Committee and significant representation secured across the Politburo and National Committees, reflecting the party's alignment with the 33 per cent legislative reservation policy for women.

Perhaps the most striking departure from convention is the direct induction of grassroots leaders into the Politburo. For the first time, a Mandal Party President and a Cluster In-charge Gantyada Sridevi and Guttikonda Dhanunjay have been elevated to the party's apex body, a move the leadership describes as a deliberate effort to bring ground-level voices into the highest echelons of decision-making.

The imprint of Lokesh's leadership is widely seen across the restructuring exercise. Leaders who could not be accommodated in nominated posts have been given meaningful roles within the broader organisational framework, ensuring continued engagement and inclusivity.

The TDP has described the overhaul as a strategic, forward-looking exercise aimed at building a robust foundation, one it clearly intends to contest the future on Lokesh's terms.