Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who has a political career spanning over four decades, is all set to fight one of the most important elections of his lifetime.
“I have a proven track record of the work that I have done for the development of united Andhra Pradesh. For the last five years, we have really suffered. One of the major causes of suffering for Andhra Pradesh has been the bifurcation of the state,” Naidu told News18 in an exclusive chat.
The emotional issue on which he walked out of the NDA — special status for Andhra Pradesh — still remains an unfulfilled promise, says the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief. “I was very sensitive towards the cause of the people of Andhra Pradesh, and that’s the reason I walked out of the NDA. CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has not done anything so far. For me, the emotions of the people of Andhra Pradesh were most important. Our people suffered a lot during the bifurcation,” he said.
If the battle between the TDP and Jagan’s YSRCP in the state was not enough, daggers were drawn after Naidu was arrested in the skill development scam in September last year, leaving many thinking if Naidu would seek revenge from Jagan if he comes to power. “Why should I have anything against him? I have known his father for a very long time. But Jagan is a different person altogether. He is someone who wants to destroy every voice of dissent, whether it is political leadership, social activists, or any common citizens.”
From the times of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government to Narendra Modi’s regime, Naidu said he had tested waters enough and nobody could point a finger at his integrity. The statement comes even as Jagan has gone on record to say that Naidu has been the most corrupt chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.
“I have been in the public eye for the last 45 years and nobody can call me corrupt. I remember Jagan’s father who would also go to court with some cases just before every election and the court would send him back, asking for proof. Even my harshest political opponent could not prove anything against me. This person did not give me a single notice and cooked up stories about my corruption. I was arrested without any intimation or proof,” the 74-year-old politician said.
During his regime, Naidu had announced that Amaravati would be the capital of the state. However, his successor toyed with the idea of three capitals.
“He is known to destroy everything that has been created by me. There is absolutely no logic in wanting three capitals. His father took a lot of projects ahead that I had proposed during my tenure but Jagan wants to destroy everything that has been created by me,” Naidu argued.
The Congress has propped up Jagan’s younger sister Sharmila as a candidate from Kadapa in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the Andhra Pradesh chief minister has accused Naidu of being hand-in-glove with CM Revanth Reddy to ensure the same.
“The question is not who will win and who will lose. The question is why are brother and sister fighting? You have to answer why you have not given your sister an accommodation? Sharmila has alleged that Jagan has not given her a share in the property despite there being equal rights for both son and daughter in Andhra Pradesh. It is for Jagan to answer.”
The politics of Jagan Mohan Reddy has largely been around distributing freebies which has hurt the economic prospects of Andhra Pradesh, said Naidu.
“Wealth is important for development along with welfare. If you do not have any revenue, how will you ensure welfare? Jagan has gone on a borrowing spree. He feels that he has done the biggest service to the state by allowing people to get freebies. Just pressing the button for a Direct Benefit Transfer does not make you a great leader. Why do we need a chief minister for that? Prime Minister Narendra Modi has several schemes where benefits to the stakeholders are given through DBT. Have you ever seen him take credit for it?”
The former chief minister said he decided to forgo his political differences with several leaders, including PM Modi, and return to the NDA fold as the state is in distress. “I do not have any political interest in mind but the state of Andhra Pradesh is in doldrums. Jagan has borrowed over Rs 13-14 lakh crore already,” he said.
Naidu added: “For any state to prosper, it is important to attract investment and create a positive environment for wealth creation. After 10 years, Jagan is talking about having three capitals instead of Amaravati alone. What is the logic? The capital is an extremely important place for attracting business and he still seems to be toying with the idea of having multiple capitals. Nothing has been done and there is no confidence either that he will do something.”
In the last election in the state, Jagan swept not just the Lok Sabha polls but also the assembly elections, leaving Naidu on the sidelines for five years. But the TDP chief is confident that the scenario will change this time. “We are working hard and are confident that we will win all 25 of 25 Lok Sabha seats. In the assembly, we will cross 160,” he said.
Andhra Pradesh, which holds simultaneous elections for both Lok Sabha and assembly, will vote on May 13. The state has 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 assembly seats up for grabs.
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