Will former Chief Minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu soon end up as a ’quarterly´ politician? This question is being hotly debated in the TDP circles in Andhra Pradesh. Ever since the COVID-19 lockdown, Chandrababu Naidu has visited the state only twice.

After the lockdown in March, Chandrababu first visited Andhra Pradesh in May. He had addressed a low-key, online Mahanadu and tried to impress upon some TDP MLAs not to leave the party. He rushed to Amaravati mainly to arrest the exodus from the party. But, he hurriedly came back to Hyderabad. Exactly three months later, he has again come to Amaravati. He will be in Amaravati for organisational work.

During the COVID-19 lockdown and during the unlock period, Chandrababu Naidu stayed at his Jubilee Hills residence in Hyderabad. He did not even go to the TDP state headquarters in the city. He remained confined to home. Though he held regular online meetings, he did not visit Andhra Pradesh. Even his son Lokesh too is rarely visiting Andhra Pradesh. While Chandrababu’s absence could be justified on the basis of his age, Lokesh’s absence for such a long period is rankling the TDP cadre.

Lokesh did visit Amaravati when TDP leader and former minister Atchannaidu was arrested in the ESI scam and also when JC Prabhakar Reddy was arrested in Anantapur. Beyond that, he has not visted the state so far.