Religious Sentiments Exploited To Loot ₹250 Crore, Says Lokesh In New Taunt At YSRC

Addressing a booth management workshop at the Telugu Desam central office in Mangalagiri, Lokesh alleged that religious sentiments were exploited to siphon off ₹250 crore and that a disinformation campaign was now being run to escape accountability. He, however, left it vague and did not elaborate on this.

The minister urged TD cadres to effectively counter the “malicious propaganda” being spread by its political rivals.

Stressing that “the party is the permanent home for its workers, while the government is only temporary,” Lokesh recalled Chandrababu Naidu’s advice that leaders must remain rooted in the party regardless of their rise. “The booth is the heart of the TD. Our performance at the booth level since 2019 must be honestly reviewed to identify gaps and correct them,” he said.

The minister said the party is being rebuilt from the booth level upwards, not merely from the village level. Senior and junior leaders would be treated with equal respect, and those who work would be recognised using technology-driven monitoring.

Citing Mangalagiri and Gajuwaka as models of strong organisational rebuilding, he shared his own experience of defeat in 2019 and how sustained booth-level work over four years helped revive the party’s prospects.

Lokesh announced that 4,772 booths across five zones would be strengthened with the support of 903 senior leaders, each tasked to spend at least a day at assigned booths, study ground realities and submit actionable feedback. Future responsibilities and positions, he said, would be assessed strictly on the booth-level performance.

Highlighting the TD’s cadre strength, the minister said no other regional party matched it in organisational resilience, recalling leaders and workers who had sacrificed their lives for the yellow flag. He paid tribute to NTR for pioneering welfare initiatives such as subsidised rice, affordable power for farmers and Janata garments.

Reiterating his attack on “Team 11”, Lokesh alleged that false narratives were earlier spread about the murder of Vivekananda Reddy and blamed the opposition YSRC for failing to counter misinformation in time.

On governance, Nara Lokesh said AP now accounted for 25 per cent of the investments coming into the country. He listed the state’s welfare measures, including enhanced pensions, women-centric schemes, revival of Anna Canteens, and rapid recruitment of teachers and police personnel.

The minister also credited the “double-engine government” under Narendra Modi and Chandrababu Naidu for turning Visakhapatnam Steel Plant profitable, securing the Visakhapatnam Railway Zone, and advancing Amaravati and Polavaram works.