Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, usually stoic by nature, showered praise on his own son and IT minister N. Lokesh in the public. It was a proud dad moment for Naidu when he acknowledged Lokesh’s determination in winning from the Mangalagiri constituency.
Addressing public at a meeting, he said that it was MSS Koteswara Rao who won as the MLA from the Mangalagiri constituency on the TDP ticket, nearly 40 years ago. Since then, the TDP could not get a hold on the constituency.
When Lokesh expressed readiness to contest from the same constituency in the last minute in 2019, I obliged to his request but warned him to be careful as the party does not have a cadre base in the place. As feared, Lokesh was defeated with a difference of 5,000 votes. Right at that moment only, he took a stern decision to contest from the same place where he had suffered defeat and win with a thumping majority, proving his determination.
Accordingly in 2024, he again contested from the same Mangalagiri constituency and brought back the constituency into the TDP’s kitty by winning with a huge majority of more than 90,000 votes.
Recalling the entire episode, Naidu took a pause at this moment, trying to gain control of himself, overwhelmed with emotion. Then he said: “That is his determination.”
Lokesh, who also shared the dais with the CM at the meeting, appeared soaked in pride. Having heard the appreciation from none other than his Chief Minister father, who is a near perfectionist, Lokesh’s eyes sparkled with a sense of achievement. The party activists also expressed their support to Lokesh and Chandrababu Naidu whistling and clapping after the CM hailed Lokesh’s determination.
In the Hindu tradition, it is believed that parents should not appreciate their children, in their presence, even when their performance is extraordinary, fearing it would diminish their sparkle. However, Naidu broke the conformity and acknowledged his son’s grit and gumption in Lokesh’s presence.
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