Chandrababu’s son and the TDP all India general secretary Lokesh Babu has been sporting a leaner and thinner look these days. He has shed loads of flab through rigorous exercising and cycling. To add to it, he is sporting a beard too.
Not just that, he is also picking up good one-liners and is using them to good effect in his zoom meetings with various groups such as youth, students, women and the unemployed. He is using a Telugu that is laced with English words and it readily appeals to the younger section of the voters.
Weight, looks and manner of speech have always been major issues with Lokesh Babu. A plumper Lokesh was no match for a lean, but muscular Jagan. Jagan managed to build a charisma and an aura around him, which Lokesh obviously failed to do. Similarly, Jagan gradually mastered the language, modulation and expression in his speeches. Lokesh had left a lot to be desired in this respect too.
But the loss of power in 2019 and personal defeat from Mangalagiri seem to have given Lokesh ample opportunity to take up self-improvement quite seriously. He is now on an image makeover drive. He has shed weight and is sporting a beard. But, charisma is something that cannot be built overnight. Jagan managed to ooze charisma. Lokesh still has a long way to go.
But, TDP insiders say that while all these are okay, Lokesh needs to prove to the people of Andhra Pradesh that he is a winner too. He has to win direct elections and become an MLA to prove himself as a politician. He has another problem too. While pro-TDP media have unequivocally rallied behind Chandrababu Naidu, they are not doing so when it comes to Lokesh. Also, Lokesh Babu’s personal equations with some media houses too is not said to be very positive. Due to all these, he is still lagging behind in building an aura around him.
Sources say that Lokesh Babu too should take up some Padayatra or at least a cycle yatra to reach out to the people. This will help build an aura around him. Let’s wait and see what Lokesh will do in the coming days to shrug off the negativity surrounding him.
