N Chandrababu Naidu, the president of the Telugu Desam Party and a former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, has declared that if his party is not elected to power in the 2024 elections, he will step down. At a roadshow in this district late on Wednesday night, Naidu recalled his promise to hold off on entering the Assembly until the TDP regained power. He spoke in an emotional tone.
“If I have to go (back) to the Assembly, if I have to stay in politics and if justice is to be done to Andhra Pradesh…unless you ensure our victory in the next election…that could well be my last election,” Naidu said. “Will you bless me? Do you trust me,” he asked the people, who responded rapturously.
The 175-member AP Assembly is made up of 23 MLAs for the TDP.
The Leader of Opposition had pledged on November 19, 2021 to enter the Andhra Pradesh Assembly once more only after regaining power. He did this after alleging that the ruling YSR Congress had insulted his wife on the floor of the House. At the roadshow, Naidu reminded attendees of his vow, saying that if he were not re-elected, the following elections would be his last.
“I will only set things right and put the state back on the track of progress and hand over the future to others,” he added. This should become a point of debate in each household. “My fight is for the future of children, future of the state. It’s not a tall talk. I had done it before and there is a model (to prove it),” the TDP chief noted. “Think about it. Weigh the pros and cons. If what I am saying is right, cooperate with me,” he urged the people. Naidu observed that he was “physically very fit.”
“Some people are mocking at my age. I and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi are of the same age. (Biden) became American President at the age of 79,” the 72-year old TDP leader said.
“I will develop (the state) and create wealth. That will increase the revenue and with that we will implement the welfare schemes. In fact, we will do better but, unlike (Chief Minister) Jagan Mohan Reddy, we will not borrow heavily for that,” the former Chief Minister said.
He emphasised how the governing system had forced the nation into a debt trap by making arbitrary borrowing decisions. Naidu continued, “They even mortgaged the state’s assets to raise loans significantly.”