AP Double Batting In Delhi: What’s Up!

Generally, it is an accepted fact that securing appointments with central ministers in Delhi is one of the toughest tasks. This was proven multiple times in the past when former CM YS Jagan struggled to get timely appointments.

But that is not the case with the current chief minister Chandrababu Naidu and his son Lokesh, who is also the IT Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

In the last 15 months of the NDA administration in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu has visited Delhi at least a dozen times to meet Union ministers. Lokesh, too, has been actively engaging with central leaders and is frequently meeting top ministers.

Even today, Chandrababu is in Delhi meeting several Cabinet ministers to secure financial allocations and key projects for Andhra Pradesh. This comes just a couple of days after Lokesh’s Delhi visit, during which he met as many as eight ministers back to back.

This clearly shows the priority that the TDP leadership enjoys in the national capital, the power hub of Indian politics.

The main reason for this importance is that TDP has become a crucial player in the NDA alliance at the Centre. Along with Bihar’s Nitish Kumar, it is TDP that is helping keep the NDA’s numbers intact in Parliament. This increased prominence is now reflecting in the access Chandrababu and Lokesh are enjoying in Delhi.

While the previous administration struggled to secure even a single appointment, the current leadership is meeting multiple Cabinet ministers quite frequently.

Chandrababu has always maintained that numbers would play a decisive role in the 2024 elections, and that prediction has proven true. The good part is that he is now wisely leveraging this advantage for the interests of Andhra Pradesh.