The massive disruption in IndiGo Airlines’ operations, which resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights across the country in recent days, has not only dominated national headlines but has also unexpectedly triggered a political controversy involving Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary and Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh.

During a high-decibel debate on Republic TV, anchored by editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, the IndiGo crisis took a political turn. Representing TDP on the panel was Deepak Reddy, former MLC and current chairman of AP Employment Generation and Enterprise Development Society.

Arnab launched a strong attack on the Central government, accusing it of compromising passenger safety and “caving in to pressure” from IndiGo. He criticised the Centre for offering repeated relaxations on the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) despite earlier assurances of stricter enforcement.

As the debate intensified, Arnab asked Deepak Reddy for the TDP’s stand. Reddy responded by saying that Andhra Pradesh IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh was “reviewing the situation” and that an “emergency war room” had been set up.

This statement instantly triggered Arnab, who questioned the authority under which Lokesh was monitoring a national aviation crisis. He repeatedly demanded clarity on the relevance and jurisdiction of Lokesh’s involvement, emphasising that aviation is purely a Central subject.

Cornered by Arnab’s probing, Reddy clarified that the Prime Minister’s Office was overseeing the crisis and that the Union Civil Aviation Ministry had established a 24×7 war room. He added that Lokesh was tracking developments only to “help streamline the situation,” a justification Arnab was quick to dismiss.

“How does your party come into this? This is a Central government aviation matter,” Arnab countered, asking whether this so-called war room was an official aviation mechanism or a TDP-driven initiative.

Reddy attempted to explain that the issue was about public inconvenience, not politics. But when he mentioned the formation of a committee to examine the crisis and highlighted that IndiGo, as a private airline, functions based on commercial priorities, Arnab argued that such statements were inappropriate coming from a party that is part of the ruling alliance.

Clips from the debate have since gone viral on WhatsApp and social media, triggering internal unease within TDP circles. Many party leaders feel Reddy’s attempt to elevate Nara Lokesh’s stature backfired, exposing the party to national ridicule.

Some leaders also believe his remarks unintentionally undermined Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu—himself a TDP leader—who is officially responsible for handling the crisis. Senior party members privately describe the entire episode as an avoidable embarrassment, arguing that a matter entirely unrelated to Lokesh or the state government was unnecessarily dragged into the spotlight, providing opponents fresh ammunition.