Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is gearing up for its flagship annual meeting, the Mahanadu, scheduled to be convened from May 27 to 29 in the YSR Kadapa district, the home turf of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The event will also mark the birth anniversary of TDP founder and legendary actor-politician, NT Rama Rao (NTR), on May 28.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s party is not only looking to make the Mahanadu a mega event, but also to score political points by choosing MSR Kadapa as the venue, a first since the TDP’s inception in March 1982.

According to a party statement, TDP chief Naidu confirmed Dinne village as the venue for the congregation, expecting large-scale grassroot participation from across the state.

TDP sources told India Today that over 50,000 delegates from grassroots level to state-level units would participate on the concluding day, May 29.

The event will culminate in a massive public meeting in Kadapa, once considered the political bastion of YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The TDP Politburo meeting, held on Wednesday, saw several key strategies being discussed for the three-day event.

NARA LOKESH NEXT TDP CHIEF?

Highly-placed sources speaking to India Today, noted that there might be several important announcements expected by Chandrababu Naidu at the Mahanadu next week. Major changes may also include a revamp of the party organisational structure, including a change in position for Naidu’s son and Party General Secretary Nara Lokesh.

While speculations about making Lokesh the working president of the party have been doing rounds for some time, Nara Lokesh himself had proposed earlier that no leader should hold the same post for three consecutive terms, and that he or she should be either elevated to a higher position or entrusted with any other key responsibility.

Notably, Lokesh is in his third term as the party’s General Secretary.