In the wake of 2019 elections, the formation of new alliances, the genesis of unique strategies, the evolution of trailblazing promises and switching sides by leaders are not new phenomena. But when it comes to Telugu Desam Party’s chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, he appears in a league of his own.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is currently in a ‘plasma state’ i.e. stuck in the middle of everything. Interestingly, the genesis of this situation dates back to May 2018, the time when the ‘marvellous idea’ of parting ways with the BJP came to Naidu’s mind, prior to the assembly election in Telangana.
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Accusing the BJP for all his failures, he left the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and afterwards, the seasoned politician decided to go on a solo trip. In a quest to constitute a formidable opposition, Naidu advocated for a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance. But when other political stakeholders discarded the ‘idea’, he finally formed an opportunistic alliance with the Congress party, betraying the very founding principle of TDP.
We are going to work together with the opposition to protect the nation from BJP’s undemocratic rule. Putting the past behind us, we are going to unite with a common goal of defeating those who have attacked the premier institutions of this country.
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) November 1, 2018
Telugu Desam Party or TDP was formed by NT Rama Rao (Naidu’s father in law) with a single agenda of dethroning the Congress in the undivided Andhra Pradesh. And Rao, who was one of the stalwarts of South Politics, did achieve this feat and thus in 1983, for the first time, a non-Congress government was formed in the state.
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Following the foot-steps of Rao, Chandrababu Naidu during 2014 general elections had said, “Our aim is to make nation free of corrupt Congress. Will do whatever is best to ensure it. History shows we were unselfish in alliance. Selfishness greed, lead AP Congress leaders fall on feet of Sonia Gandhi. History from 1983 will repeat. TDP will wipe out Congress”.
Selfishness, greed lead AP Congress leaders fall on feet of Sonia Gandhi. History from 1983 will repeat. TDP will wipe out Congress.
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) February 25, 2014
But this time, he has sidelined all ethics and morality, he earlier talked about. Touting his greed as ‘democratic compulsion’, he formed a temporary alliance, “Mahakutami” to contest the Telangana assembly elections. However, the people of Telangana being aware of the hypocrisy of Naidu totally discarded the ‘Mahakutami’.
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Moreover, Naidu is not a politician who will go down so easily. After the humiliating defeat of the alliance, the seasoned politician again resorted to his ‘antique’ idea of a ‘third front’. Moreover, he has tried to project himself as an integral part of the third front and is consistently holding meetings with some of his prospective alliance partners like Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and others. He also took part in the United India Rally which was nothing but a gathering of ‘hollow people’ (as depicted by the Swaraj India President, Yogendra Yadav). Besides offering his everything to prop himself up as an important face of the third front, the overture failed to yield any dividend. In fact, even the brigade of anti-Modi factions failed in even creating a ripple.
Also Read: Yogendra Yadav lashes out at United India Rally, calls it a gathering of ‘hollow people’
Naidu’s story serves at least one purpose i.e. it suggests what one should refrain from doing in a healty democracy. In pursuit of gaining more influence and power, Naidu has even lost what he had and ended up as the rolling stone which gathers no moss. Further, the abject failure of Mahakutami in the assembly elections is an indicator that Naidu has lost even his own electoral base and headed for political oblivion in the upcoming general elections.
