LS polls: Nara Lokesh meets potters, handloom weavers

Spearheading his campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Andhra Pradesh Information Technology (IT) minister Nara Lokesh on Tuesday reached ground zero to meet potters and handloom weavers of Mangalagiri constituency.

Wearing a yellow shirt (yellow is symbolic of TDP), Lokesh interacted with potters and also watched them work. He then proceeded to meet handloom weavers.

Lokesh had filed his nomination paper on March 23 to contest from Mangalagiri constituency in Amaravati in the ensuing Assembly polls, while his father N Chandrababu Naidu will contest from Kuppam seat in Chittoor district for the seventh consecutive time.

TDP supported the BJP-led government after 2014 Lok Sabha elections but withdrew the support in March last year over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh.

In 2014 assembly elections, Naidu-led TDP won 103 seats and YSR Congress Party bagged 67 seats. BJP had won only four seats and the Congress could not get even a single seat.

Elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to be held on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.