Dramatic 23-fold jump in the assets of Nara lokesh, son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, over the last five months has triggered a major political row in the State with the Opposition parties raising questions about it.
“My family has earned this wealth through hard work with honesty and integrity,” he told a media conference on Thursday in Vijaywada. “Jagan is accused No 1 in 12 cases, has he ever declared his assetsIJ” lokesh asked referring to the questions raised by YSR Congress party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy and his newspaper.
Nara lokesh, 34, who is contesting legislative Council election and was likely to join his father’s Cabinet soon declared assets of Rs 330 crore in his affidavit filed along with his nomination papers for the state legislative council elections. In October last, Nara lokesh had declared assets of only Rs 14.50 crore.
Chandrababu Naidu declares his and all the family members’ assets every year as part of transparency in public life. However, the sudden rise in the assets of his son has raised many eyebrows in the political circles.
lokesh who is general secretary of the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) denounced the Opposition parties’ criticism and alleged that they were indulging in false propaganda against him. “They are trying to mislead the people on this issue,” he said.
“But now according to the guidelines of the Election Commission I have declared the present market value of the assets.” The biggest chunk of his assets was the shares in Heritage Foods Rs 273.84 crore.