Kadapa: The Telugu Desam Party’s flagship annual conclave, Mahanadu, commenced with grandeur on Tuesday in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district – marking the first time the party has hosted the event in the political bastion of former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The three-day convention, which will run till 29 May, was inaugurated by TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who renewed his party membership and filed nomination for re-election as national president. His reappointment is expected to be formalised on Wednesday.
This year’s Mahanadu carries added significance as it is being viewed as both a show of strength in a rival stronghold and a possible platform for generational transition within the party. All eyes are on Nara Lokesh, TDP’s national general secretary and IT minister, who is expected to be entrusted with major organisational responsibilities. Sources suggest he could be named working president or even national president to ease Naidu’s workload.
Party insiders say Lokesh will unveil initiatives centred on youth leadership, social engineering, women empowerment, and farmer welfare – key themes for the party’s roadmap ahead.
While political deliberations are the heart of Mahanadu, the event has also turned into a cultural celebration of Telugu identity. Held under German-engineered rainproof sheds due to early monsoon showers, the event is drawing attendees not only from across Andhra Pradesh but also Telangana and other Telugu-speaking communities across India.
The food arrangements alone give a sense of just how massive this event is. Each day, over two lakh people will be fed, with the menu highlighting local favourites from Andhra, Rayalaseema, and Telangana. After a long gap, meat dishes are back, and the kitchen lineup includes no less than 20 different items daily—put together by a staggering crew of 1,700 cooks, with 800 more on hand to help keep things running smoothly.
Specialities include Tapeshwaram Kaja, Allur’s Mysore Pak, fruit halwa, and payasam, along with a distribution of 50,000 eggs. For the final day’s public meeting, arrangements are in place to feed up to three lakh people through multiple food courts.
As political resolutions are debated and strategies sharpened, Mahanadu 2024 is doubling as a grand assertion of TDP’s resurgence – politically, culturally, and organisationally.
ప్రతిపక్షంలో ఉండగా అవినీతి వ్యతిరేక పోరాటం చేశాం. అధికారంలో ఉంటే నీతివంతమైన పాలన అందించాం.
అవినీతి చేసిన వారిపై పోరాటాలు చేసిన పార్టీ మనది. #Mahanadu2025Begins#Mahanadu2025#TeluguDesamParty#ChandrababuNaidu#AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/IDw1ghuczN— Telugu Desam Party (@JaiTDP) May 27, 2025
