Nara Lokesh: Andhra Pradesh Has Chandrababu’s Advantage Like Bengaluru for Karnataka
Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education and IT, Nara Lokesh, stated that while Karnataka has Bengaluru and Telangana has Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh has the advantage of Chandrababu Naidu. He made these remarks during the India Today Conclave held in New Delhi, where he participated in an interactive session with senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai.
Reflecting on his Yuva Galam padayatra, Lokesh said he had learned a great deal from the experience. “Through the padayatra, I understood the problems and hardships faced by the people firsthand, which helped me gain a comprehensive perspective,” he said. He further stated that he is now successfully fulfilling his responsibilities in the coalition government. Lokesh emphasized the importance of political padayatras, likening them to an “MBA in politics.” According to him, the initiative helped him connect better with people when visiting constituencies.
Lokesh announced that a data center will be established in Visakhapatnam, stating that there is no second thought about it. He noted that the Y2K revolution had significantly benefited Hyderabad and the country as a whole, and now it was Andhra Pradesh’s turn. “We have skilled human resources and are moving forward with the speed of doing business approach,” he said.
He mentioned that the curriculum is being modified from the KG to PG level to align with industry needs. He also revealed that an idea born during his padayatra led to the introduction of government services via WhatsApp. “By the end of this month, we will provide 350 services through Mana Mitra, including caste certificates, hall tickets, land records, and other essential documents via WhatsApp. This is just the beginning—more services will be introduced in the future,” he added. Lokesh also urged people to be prepared for the future of artificial intelligence.
Lokesh stated that while Karnataka has Bengaluru, Tamil Nadu has Chennai, and Telangana has Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh has Chandrababu Naidu. “Chandrababu is our advantage,” he asserted. He also revealed that the Andhra Pradesh government signed a 7-gigawatt agreement with Tata Power on Friday and emphasized that technological advancements would help resolve multiple challenges.
He remarked that caste enumeration is easier than skill enumeration and noted that his government is taking up the challenge of skill enumeration in the state.
Addressing concerns over language policies, Lokesh stated that the three-language formula does not harm the mother tongue. He pointed out that India’s linguistic diversity ensures that no single language dominates. He affirmed that Telugu is being actively promoted in Andhra Pradesh, emphasizing that Telugu is the state’s local language.
He also stated that the NDA government is committed to strengthening native languages and dismissed concerns about Hindi imposition. Lokesh noted that countries like Germany and Japan offer numerous job opportunities for nurses and home care workers, making it beneficial to learn additional languages. He stressed the importance of multilingual education in the modern world and reiterated his unconditional support for the NDA’s language policies.
Lokesh accused the previous YSRCP government of illegally filing 23 cases against him, including charges under the SC/ST Atrocities Act and attempt to murder. He warned that legal action would be taken against those who violated the law during the YSRCP administration.
He alleged that under YSRCP rule, there was no freedom to protest, whereas now, Jagan Mohan Reddy is free to travel anywhere. Lokesh also claimed that Jagan currently has more security than the deputy chief minister. He accused the previous government of corruption in liquor sales and illegal sand mining, stating that a related case is now being heard in the Supreme Court.
Lokesh lamented the decline in meaningful debates in the Assembly, recalling that in the 1990s, the legislature witnessed substantive discussions. He stated that Jagan Reddy remains the leader of YSRCP but emphasized that the opposition must meet the requirement of holding 10% of the total Assembly seats to be officially recognized. He firmly stated that opposition status cannot be granted by violating the law, reaffirming that his government upholds legal norms.
Lokesh recalled his defeat in the 2019 elections from Mangalagiri, a constituency where the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had not won since 1985. However, in the 2024 elections, he contested again and secured a victory with a massive majority of 91,000 votes, the third-largest margin in Andhra Pradesh.
He mentioned that he took on the challenging HRD ministry and shared a personal anecdote, stating that his wife, Brahmani, takes care of his credit card bills. He also remarked that Women’s Day should not be celebrated for just one day but should be recognized every day.