TDP to reserve 33% seats for women in 2029 assembly elections: Nara Lokesh

AMARAVATI: In a major political announcement, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national working president Nara Lokesh declared that the party would allot 33% of Assembly and Parliament seats to women in the 2029 general elections, irrespective of whether the Women’s Reservation Bill is implemented nationally or not.Introducing what he described as a “historic resolution” at the party’s Mahanadu conclave, Lokesh said the commitment was not merely a slogan but a responsibility and a promise towards the future of India.“We need more women legislators, more women leaders and more women policy makers. Women will walk shoulder to shoulder in leading the future of TDP. This is our resolve, our responsibility and our commitment,” he asserted.Making a maiden speech as national working president, Lokesh accused opposition parties of obstructing the women’s reservation bill in parliament and failing to genuinely support women empowerment. He said many parties speak about empowerment during elections but forget women after coming to power, while TDP has consistently believed in women empowerment both in principle and practice.Stating that the next era of Indian politics should belong to women leadership, Lokesh said the NDA govt had taken a historic step by bringing the women’s reservation Bill. He added that women should not remain mere beneficiaries of welfare schemes but emerge as decision-makers in governance and politics.Highlighting TDP founder N T Rama Rao and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu as pioneers in women empowerment, Lokesh recalled that NTR had introduced equal property rights for women, reservations in local bodies and established Padmavathi University for women.He said Naidu later expanded women empowerment through 33% reservations in education and employment, DWCRA groups and welfare initiatives such as the Deepam scheme.Lokesh also launched a sharp attack on the opposition Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and its leadership, repeatedly referring to it as “Team-11” instead of the party’s earlier “Why Not 175” slogan. Challenging YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to a public debate, Lokesh said, “Fix the date and time. I am ready for a discussion on development and welfare.”Taking credit for the NDA alliance’s electoral victory in Andhra Pradesh in 2024, Lokesh said the TDP-led coalition achieved a record 94% strike rate by winning 164 seats. He claimed the govt was implementing major welfare programmes despite financial constraints, including enhanced pensions, free gas cylinders, teacher recruitment, job calendars and support schemes for farmers, fishermen and weavers.Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh was now attracting major investments from global companies and industrial projects, adding that the state was moving ahead with futuristic sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology and fighter jet manufacturing under Naidu’s leadership.In an emotionally charged speech, Lokesh praised TDP cadre for standing by the party during difficult times between 2019 and 2024 and accused the previous YSRCP regime of targeting BCs, dalits and minorities. He also urged party workers to aggressively counter “fake propaganda” by political opponents and prepare for upcoming local body elections in mission mode.