Amid a punishing campaign schedule, Andhra Pradesh Chief MinisterN. Chandrababu Naidusqueezed in time, first aboard an aircraft and then in his SUV, to talk about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, unity of non-BJP parties, the impact of the Balakot air strike on the election and the TDP’s prospects in his State.
The Lok Sabha election is just a few days away, but unity eludes non-BJP parties. The BSP and the SP do not share space with the Congress in U.P.; the RJD-Congress alliance has run into trouble in Bihar... What do you have to say?
That’s not true. We are all united in our resolve to fight the BJP and see that it does not return to power. There may be minor problems here and there but all of them will be resolved eventually as Congress and all Opposition parties are acutely aware of the fact that it is their bounden duty to protect the nation and democracy from a draconian regime, bent upon misusing and destroying institutions. You should look at unity in two parts. Wherever possible, parties are coming together now in pre-poll alliances and some would join after elections and I am cent percent confident about forging unity.
We should understand that BJP is not in the same advantageous position it was in 2014. I can see a distinct anti-Modi and anti-NDA wave across the country. It has lost in all four States where Assembly elections were held recently and the by-elections later. Mr. Modi had campaigned aggressively in all these States. Mr. Modi said he has no family and that he was dedicated to the nation. Now, when it became known that he has a wife and did not bother to take care of her, people’s perception about him has changed. When you can’t take care of your wife how can you run the affairs of the country? Advantages, [that] he perceived to be his, are now becoming disadvantages.
How do you see Mr. Modi as chowkidar ?
People are saying it is not chowkidari but chori. What is chowkidari when you allow offenders of the likes of Nirav Modi to flee the country. Same is the case with Rafale deal. The man who was allotted the project of making aircraft ran into huge debts and his brother had to save him. Here in Andhra you support a man involved in scams, who has gone to jail and facing trial. Is it chowkidari? How can you justify?
Will the air strike in Balakot have an impact on the elections, and will the BJP gain from it?
Yes, Army deserves praise. But BJP tried to snatch away credit that should go to Army. What is BJP-led government’s great achievement here. It’s a failure: intelligence department failed to anticipate the attack in Pulwama. In Balakot, its claims were bizarre. Its count started from 300 and ended at 450 but there was nothing to show that these many were killed. That’s a lie and if it’s a lie who will believe you.
How can one get advantage based on a lie? Everywhere he [Mr. Modi] is lying. Here in Andhra he said the Centre has given funds for Petrochemical Corridor. Where is it?
What do you have to say about the Prime Minister’s claim that Congress and 22 parties have come together to fight him, one man?
It is not a fight against one man. It is a democratic compulsion that made all these parties come together.
They have set aside their differences to save democracy and the future of the nation with the slogan, ‘Save India, Save democracy’. Mr. Modi is responsible for everyone’s misery, demonetisation disaster, destruction of all democratic institutions. He is creating problems for everybody: for political leaders, for media, for corporates. He is not following any democratic values . He is attacking everyone. We need to stop him. He is selective in these attacks using central agencies.
He has been targeting Opposition-ruled States like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal and now Odisha, but not BJP-ruled ones like Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is nothing but holier-than- thou attitude.
People know it, they are silent observers and respond at the appropriate time.
Is there a plan to put up a common Opposition candidate to take on Mr. Modi in Varanasi?
Yes, we will work it out.
What were your biggest achievements in the last five years?
Despite non-cooperation by the Centre, denial of funds and Telangana putting up obstacles , we are number one in economic growth, ease of doing business. We are on the track of building a world-class capital. We have managed to attract good number of industries: Kia, Apollo Tyres, Ashok Leyland, IT firms in Visakhapatnam being some of them. Though Telangana has surplus budget it could not implement the crop loan waiver we have offered to farmers.
Yet, if you look at vote difference between TDP and YSRCP in 2014, it is just 2% and you got the support of BJP and Jana Sena then. This time you are going alone. Then there is anti-incumbency factor. Doesn’t it worry you?
There is no anti-incumbency, there is pro-incumbency in favour of TDP Government for the schemes we have initiated and implemented effectively covering every section of people virtually from the day a baby is born to the elderly. For farmers, we have loan waiver and Annadatha Sukhibhava. For Self Help Groups, we have Pasupu Kumkuma. We have Anna Canteen serving meal at ₹5. For the elderly and the widows, we have pensions and for the young, we have unemployment dole. I hope to win on the strength of these schemes and good governance.
And about BJP’s support, last time we actually lost many Assembly seats because of the alliance and the minority vote.
