Chandrababu Naidu’s biggest battle yet: For 2024 Andhra polls, TDP chief hits the ground running

Starting last month, Naidu has addressed a series of public meetings – from Kurnool to Vizianagaram – as part of his campaign “Idemi Kharma Mana Rashtraniki (Why is our state facing this fate?)”.

Coining the slogan “Quit Jagan, Save AP”, Naidu started off with public meetings in Kurnool and Eluru last month. (Express photo)

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Buoyed by the success of public meetings last month against the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former CM Chandrababu Naidu has launched a no-holds-barred campaign in preparation for the state’s Assembly polls in 2024.

Coining the slogan “Quit Jagan, Save AP”, Naidu started off with public meetings in Kurnool and Eluru last month. At the Kurnool meeting on November 16, Naidu emphatically said that “the 2024 elections would be his last if people did not elect the TDP to power”.

On December 9, he held a meeting in Bapatla. He spoke at another sizable gathering at Bobbili in the Vizianagaram district of north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Friday. Alongside this, he made a quick visit to Khammam in neighbouring Telangana on December 21 and is reportedly looking at reviving the party in the state.

Addressing the roadshow at Bobbili as part of his “Idemi Kharma Mana Rashtraniki (Why is our state facing this fate?)” programme, Naidu said the “massive gathering” there “spoke of the growing anti-incumbency” in the state.

Saying that “he was not visiting Bobbili for the first time” and that “he was not a film personality to attract crowds”, the TDP supremo said he was elated by the response.

Hitting out at the government, he said, “Not even a single section of people is happy with the policies adopted by the YSRCP government.”

Naidu claimed that the voters elected the YSRCP after “getting carried away by the appeal made by Jagan Mohan Reddy to give him a chance”. He added, “The only option was to defeat him (Reddy) in the coming polls.”

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Naidu said the state was “neck-deep in debts amounting to Rs 9.5 lakh crore” and asked the police officials and security personnel deployed at the meeting whether they received their salary arrears and provident fund dues.

Naidu’s approach to each of the public meetings has been different. From price rise to bad roads, he has been hitting out at the Reddy government on various issues.

He spoke of the increase in prices of essential commodities, power charges, and house taxes at the Bapatla meeting. In Eluru, he brought up the death of the CM’s uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy.

“Wherever Telugu people live, be it in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, other states in the country or in the United States or in some other country I am in their hearts,” Naidu said in Bobbili.

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He added that the state’s youth want him to come back to power so that they can get “employment opportunities”.

Naidu said, “Investors are running away from the state as a result of which the youth is not getting employment. Assets worth over Rs 3 lakh crore were completely destroyed in Amaravati which the present government has decided not to develop as the capital city.”

The TDP leader has been mounting an attack on welfare schemes, which have been one of YSRCP’s central planks.

“On one hand Jagan is paying you Rs 10 and on the other he is grabbing Rs 100 from you because everything has become expensive. The chief minister is under the impression that the people are not aware of this but everyone came to know about the fact very soon,’’ he said.

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“Why is the condition of roads in almost all parts of the state in such a poor condition now?” Naidu asked. “I am also a victim of this bad condition of the roads.”

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More