From political oblivion to Kingmaker: All eyes on Chandrababu Naidu as NDA 3.0 formalises

N Chandrababu Naidu

As the leads started solidifying into definitive numbers by early afternoon on June 4, the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party foresaw an impending scenario of major NDA constituents playing a decisive role in government formation. The outcome of the 18th Lok Sabha election went against BJP’s expectation of a resounding mandate allowing PM Modi a free-hand in government formation. But poll outcome, gave a narrow margin to the NDA with 293 seats, and more importantly put the BJP with 240 seats at the mercy of its allies.

By late afternoon on June 4, Telegu Desam Party’s (a major BJP ally with 16 seats) Chandrababu Naidu, former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, had emerged as a potential ‘kingmaker’. Leading the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Naidu has been a pivotal figure in Andhra Pradesh’s political landscape for decades.

He first became chief minister in 1995 and has held the position three times. His first two terms as CM were during the era of united Andhra Pradesh from 1995 to 2004. His third term came after the state was split, with Telangana being carved out of Andhra Pradesh 10 years ago. As CM of the undivided state, Naidu was a key figure in the development of modern Hyderabad, transforming it into a major tech hub.

When Naidu was a part of the NDA dispensation led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Naidu proved to be a tough negotiator. In the summer of 1999-2000, TDP had identified a host of issues the alliance partners weren’t able to come to a consensus. The party pressed for a constitutional amendment for higher devolution of central taxes to the states. While reiterating the party's demand for increasing the share of states in central taxes to 50 per cent, the TDP wanted the BJP government to implement immediately the previous United Front government's decision to hike the share to 29 per cent from the present 27 per cent. The two per cent hike will fetch an additional Rs 6 billion a year.

TDP was part of the NDA government between 2014 and 2019. It left the NDA grouping before 2019 Lok Sabha polls and joined the Congress lead UPA alliance to lose in both Lok Sabha and assembly polls. Soon after the defeat, he distanced himself with the Congress and became part of NDA in March 2024, just a few days before the national elections were announced. The alliance clicked in favour of TDP as it has not just scored well in the parliamentary elections but have also clinched the assembly polls.

After Naidu lost power in 2019, he was humiliated by the YSRC members in the assembly. His wife Bhuvaneswari was allegedly abused as well. His frequent media appearance crying foul was a common sight. He was allegedly forced not to even field his party nominees to contest in the local body polls as the ruling YSRC fielded its nominees and got several posts of MPTCs, ZPTCs and in gram panchayats declared elected unanimously.

Naidu’s career faced a major setback with his arrest in 2023 in the alleged Skill Development Corporation Scam case by the YSRCP government. He was apprehended in a pre-dawn raid on September 9 and spent nearly two months in Rajamahendravaram Central Jail. However, he was granted interim bail on October 31, which was made permanent on November 20. This enabled him to prepare for the 2024 elections and rejoin the NDA alliance with TDP, BJP, and Janasena.

Naidu took up an aggressive campaign by touring all over the state braving the sweltering heat and even used to address three to four public meetings in a day to reach out to the people and publicize his Super Six other promises to be implemented in case elected to power.