Nara Lokesh, coordinator of Telugu Desam Party Workers’ Welfare Fund and son of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, met United States President Barack Obama at Portland in US on Friday, raising eyebrows in the political circles here.
Mr. Lokesh is on a tour of the US seeking support from Non-Resident Telugus in attracting investments to Andhra Pradesh and in improving basic amenities in villages.
During his meeting after a warm handshake, Mr. Lokesh briefed Mr. Obama about smart cities and smart villages project, new industrial policy and various development programmes being implemented by the Telugu Desam government in the State, according to a note released by the TDP office here.
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Mr. Obama is believed to have told Mr. Lokesh that he heard a lot about his father, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu and asked him to convey his best wishes.
Mr. Lokesh might have pulled off a coup by managing to meet Mr. Obama for six minutes, purportedly using his Stanford University batch mates’ highly influential connections but it has invited criticism from various quarters. Some of them have wondered in what capacity he had got the appointment when he was merely a party functionary, not holding any government position. Others felt it was not a proper meeting but a Democratic Party’s fundraising dinner suggesting that some NRI could have paid for it.
But a TDP leader who did not want to be quoted rubbished the charge and said when Mr. Obama cannot run for the third term how he would attend a fundraising dinner. As for the appointment, he said it was for Mr. Obama and his office to decide whom he should and should not meet.
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On the presence of State government officials during his tour, he said Mr. Lokesh would be merely present while the officials would sign the possible MoUs with investors expected during the next few days.
During his meeting after a warm handshake, Lokesh briefs Obama about smart cities and smart villages project, and new industrial policy