'Yuva Galam' padayatra launched by Nara Lokesh with an eye on elections

Vijayawada TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Friday launched 'Yuva Galam' (voice of youth) padayatra from Kuppam, the stronghold of his father and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Chittoor district of Rayalaseema region, amid fanfare after the party cadres painted the town yellow with banners, flags and festoons.

With an eye on ensuing general elections due in 2024, he will traverse a distance of 4,000 km in about 400 days, criss-crossing almost 150 constituencies out of 175 Assembly segments. The yatra will culminate into a huge rally at Ichapuram in Srikakulam district, bordering Odisha's Ganjam.

The padayatra was launched after offering prayers at Varadaraja Swamy temple at Kuppam at 11.03 am in the presence of a large number of party leaders, cadres and supporters. On Thursday he offered prayers at Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala. This was preceded by prayers at Ameen Peer Dargah popular as Pedda Dargah at Kadapa, Lord Lakshmi Venkateswara temple and Roman Catholic Church at Mariyapuram.

Considered political heir of TDP national president Chandrababu Naidu, the 40-year old Stanford-educated leader is married to Brahmani, daughter of actor and MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna and granddaughter of legendary actor and TDP founder NTR. Before the padayatra, he visited NTR Ghat in Hyderabad and sought blessings from his parents and father-in-law in Jubilee Hills.

The commencement of the padayatra was marred by fainting of Taraka Ratna, Lokesh's cousin. He reportedly fell unconscious after accompanying Lokesh to a mosque. In the melee that followed due to a stampede-type situation, there was confusion. However, he was taken to a hospital after rescuing from the surging crowds where the doctors described his condition as stable. His uncle Balakrishna later visited the hospital.

The padayatra assumes political significance as this is the first opportunity for Lokesh to prove his mass appeal. He is being very often described by YSRCP MP and general secretary V. Vijayasai Reddy and Minister R.K. Roja as 'pappu Naidu' for failing to win any elections. Though Lokesh entered active politics in 2019 by managing the social media accounts of TDP, he was made Minister for IT, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in 2017 when his father was the Chief Minister by nominating him as MLC. In the 2019 elections, his first encounter in direct elections from Mangalagiri, he was beaten by YSRCP candidate Alla Ramakrishna Reddy.

Actor and president of Jana Sena Party K. Pawan Kalyan, who has an alliance with the BJP, of late is showing interest to have an electoral understanding with TDP to what he termed, 'avoid split in Opposition votes' to dislodge YSRCP from power.

Immediately after kicking off the padayatra, Lokesh said that the people are vexed with the 'misrule and dictatorial' attitude of the YSRCP Government led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He said the people are yearning for change and the TDP is poised to form the government post-Assembly elections.

The padayatra has created tremendous enthusiasm among the rank and file of TDP. "His padayatra will further pep up the spirit of our cadres to bring back the TDP to power under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu," party's 3-time MLA from Visakhapatnam East V. Ramakrishna Babu told Bizz Buzz.

There was uncertainty regarding the launch of the padayatra due to several queries posed by Director of Police K.V. Rajendra Nath Reddy to the permission sought by TDP politburo member Varla Ramaih. Later the police gave a conditional permission. This is the first padayatra of such a grand scale by any politician after the State Government issued GO No. 1 imposing restrictions on roadshows and rallies, on State and National Highways.