TDP announces central committee, Naidu's son is general secretary

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday announced a central committee and two state committees for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Naidu has promoted his son N. Lokesh, making him ex-officio member of the politburo and the general secretary of the central committee. Lokesh has so far been holding the post of coordinator, cadre welfare fund.

This is the first time in its 33-year-old history that TDP has constituted a central committee. This followed the unanimous election of Naidu as party's national president at its conclave in May this year.

The TDP decided to become a national party in the wake of the bifurcation of the erstwhile undivided state of Andhra Pradesh, in order to function effectively in both the states.

Naidu has named former home minister Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao as the president of TDP's Andhra Pradesh unit while L. Ramana will head the Telangana unit.

A. Revanth Reddy, who was arrested in cash-for-vote scam in Telangana, has been appointed as working president of the Telangana committee.

Naidu has included his brother-in-law N. Harikrishna in the 17-member politburo.

The politburo members include Ashok Gajapati Raju, Y. Ramakrishnudu, K.E. Krishnamurthy, K. Srinivasulu, R. Chandrasekhar Reddy, S. Chandramohan Reddy, T. Devender Goud, E. Dayakar Rao, Uma Madhava Reddy.

There are four ex-officio members of politburo including Lokesh.