Andhra polls: Naidu set to be CM for fourth time
After the impressive performance of the Telugu Desam Party in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, party chief N Chandrababu Naidu will be sworn in as the chief minister of the state on Sunday. According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the ceremony. This will mark Naidu's fourth term as chief minister, having previously served from 1995 to 2004 and becoming the first CM of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh following its bifurcation in 2014.
TDP-Led alliance heads for landslide victory
The TDP-led alliance is on track for a landslide victory, leading in 158 out of 175 assembly constituencies. This positions Naidu to govern Andhra Pradesh once again, following a significant defeat by the YSR Congress Party in 2019. The resurgence comes five years later, with Naidu riding an anti-establishment wave and forming a strategic alliance with the Jana Sena Party (JSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Naidu's arrest fuels sympathy among voters
Naidu's return to power comes after his arrest in November 2023 on corruption charges. This inadvertently worked in his favor, creating sympathy among voters and fueling discontent against allegations of misgovernance and corruption against YSRCP MLAs. His strategic return to the NDA fold just before the national elections in March 2024 positioned him as a key player in the polls.
Naidu's promise of good governance resonates with voters
Naidu's promise of good governance, development, and stability appears to have struck a chord with voters. "It is not my election, it is the election of the five crore people of Andhra Pradesh, their future and the future of their children," he was quoted as saying in April. As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP contested 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while the BJP contested in six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats.
Naidu emerges kingmaker
Notably, Naidu is likely to emerge as the kingmaker at the national level with his party leading in 14 of 17 contested parliamentary seats. To recall, Naidu was initially allied with the NDA government from 2014 to 2019. He parted ways before the 2019 polls, joining the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance—only to face defeat in both general and assembly elections. He later switched to the NDA again. Reports said, the opposition bloc has attempted contact with Naidu after the results.
