40 Years Industry – Chandrababu

Exactly 40 years ago from today (27-02-1978), Chandrababu Naidu had won as MLA for the first time.

From a student leader to youngest MLA at 26 and youngest minister at 28 to longest-serving chief minister of unified AP to longest-serving Opposition leader in AP to the first chief minister of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh, Naidu has come a very long way.

Below is a broad look into the timeline of the events which made Naidu one of the most popular leaders in India today.

Connecting The Dots 

Chandrababu began his political career very early. After being a student leader, Chandrababu had joined Youth Congress in Chandragiri (near Tirupati). Post emergency in 1975, Naidu’s rapport with Youth Congress president Sanjay Gandhi grew closer.

He became the member of the AP Legislative Assembly from Congress(I) for Chandragiri constituency in 1978. The party’s 20% quota for youth to run for the office was beneficial for Naidu on that occasion.

Interestingly, Chandrababu Naidu, his arch rival and former CM late YS Rajasekhar Reddy and current Deputy CM KE Krishna Murthy were all elected to Legislative Assembly in 1978 for the first time. While YSR and KE Krishna Murthy were part of the dissent within the party, Chandrababu had stayed away as he doesn’t like the dissent.

Youngest Minister at 28

After the fall of Chenna Reddy’s government, Chandrababu along with YSR and KE Krishnamurthy were made ministers in Tanguturu Anjaiah’s cabinet. Chandrababu was the yougest of all. He was 28.

Just two years after becoming MLA, Naidu was appointed as the Technical Education and Cinematography minister in 1980. He was the youngest minister in the Congress(I) cabinet.

Meeting NTR

As the cinematography minister, Naidu came in contact with veteran actor NT Rama Rao. In 1980, he married Bhuvaneswari, NTR’s third daughter.

Joining TDP

In 1982, NTR has formed the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with the slogan of Self Respect for Telugu people and swept the assembly polls held in 1983. Chandrababu, who was then still in the Congress(I), was defeated by a TDP candidate in Chandragiri. Before elections, Naidu made several strong challenges to NTR and TDP despite being his father-in-law. But people stood with NTR.

Subsequently in 1983, Chandrababu has joined the TDP with NTR’s approval. Though many within the TDP then opposed Chandrababu’s inclusion, NTR had backed Chandrababu and stood by him.

Rise in TDP

In August 1984, when Nadendla Bhaskara Rao staged a coup against NTR, Chandrababu got the chance to show his political acumen, skills. Chandrababu rallied the TDP MLAs together, and paraded them before the President of India. NTR was reinstated as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh 31 days later. Impressed with his son-in-law Chandrababu’s manoeuvres, NTR appointed Naidu as the general secretary of the party and Babu began playing a pivotal role in the TDP after Nadendla’s coup attempt. Since then, there is no looking back for Chandrababu in TDP.

In the 1989 assembly election, Chandrababu Naidu contested from Kuppam and won. However, Congress had regained power in the election so Naidu had to sit in the Opposition. Chandrababu has been appointed as coordinator of the Telugu Desam Party, in which capacity he effectively handled the party’s role of main opposition in the assembly which won him wide appreciation from both the party and the public. Babu’s role during this phase both inside the Legislative Assembly and outside was a critical factor for the subsequent success of the party at the hustings.

Becoming Chief Minister (1994-2004)

Apart from setting a record of being youngest MLA and minister, Chandrababu Naidu is the longest-serving Chief Minister in the Unified Andhra Pradesh. He first became the Chief Minister in 1994. He won second-term consecutively and served as the CM till 2004.

Both Bill Clinton (President of the United States at the time) and Tony Blair (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time) visited Hyderabad and met with Naidu during his tenure from 1994-2004. This phase is called as Golden Phase of unified AP.

Microsoft in Hyderabad

Chandrababu had met Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in New Delhi when the former was the Chief Minister of the undivided State in the 1990s. It was not easy for Naidu to get Bill Gates appointment then but finally managed to get appointment for 10 minutes. Naidu then gave a presentation on his laptop to Bill Gates. The presentation continued for 45 minutes. Impressed Bill Gates had asked Naidu what exactly he could do. Chandrababu had asked Bill Gates to set up Microsoft campus in Hyderabad.

Bill Gates wasn’t sure. But he said he would consider Naidu’s request when they decide to set up Microsoft unit outside Seattle. Finally, the dream became reality.

Hyderabad as IT Hub

Chandrababu has coined the slogan “Bye-bye Bangalore, hello Hyderabad” to further this aim. Microsoft Corporation has established a software-development centre in Hyderabad, the second such centre outside Seattle. Naidu encouraged other global IT companies (IBM, Dell, Deloitte, Computer Associates and Oracle) to move to Hyderabad, making presentations to global CEOs convincing them to invest in his state.

By the end of financial year 2003–04 software exports from Hyderabad reached $1 billion and it become fourth largest exporting city in the country. By 2013–14 exports had grown by more than 10 times, employing about 320,000 people directly working in this IT & ITES fields in Hyderabad alone.

National Politics

The Telugu Desam Party, led by Chandrababu Naidu, won a majority in the state legislature in 1999. TDP won 185 out of 294 seats in the Assembly and 29 out of 42 in the 1999 general election, making it the second-largest party in the BJP-led NDA coalition government.

2003 Assassination Attempt

On 1st October 2003, Chandrababu Naidu survived a land-mine blast, escaping with a fractured left collarbone and hairline fractures of two right ribs. The blast occurred about 4 PM IST when Naidu was travelling in a convoy to the Lord Venkateswara temple in the Tirumala hills for the annual Brahmotsavam festival. State Information Minister B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, Telugu Desam legislator and Ch. Krishnamurthy and driver Srinivasa Raju were also injured. Telugu Desam legislator Bojjala Gopala Krishan Reddy was seriously injured.

2004 Election Defeat

The Telugu Desam Party (led by Naidu) failed to retain power after two successive wins, winning 47 of 294 seats in the state assembly and five of 42 in the Lok Sabha. While many of his ministers lost, Naidu won decisively in Kuppam. Congress-led by YS Rajasekhar Reddy, who did a Padayatra (walkathon), had won the elections with a huge majority.

Reasons For 2004 Defeat

According to Naidu, the 2004 election loss was primarily due to a severe drought and anti-incumbency sentiment. He was seen to have ignored the large rural population with his policies, failing to reach poor voters. Years of drought and increasing debt had increased the suicide rate among the rural population.

2014 : Third Time CM

The Telugu Desam Party (led by Naidu) returned to power, in the state of Andhra Pradesh winning 102 seats out of 175 seats. Naidu led TDP to an outright majority in the state of Andhra Pradesh, but lost to TRS in Telangana. Chandrababu Naidu took oath as the first Chief Minister of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh at Mangalgiri in the grounds of Acharya Nagarjuna University near Guntur.


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