N. Chandrababu Naidu
Encyclopedia
Nara Chandrababu Naidu born 20 April 1950, Chittoor
district, Andhra Pradesh
was the President of Telugu Desam Party
(TDP), a regional party in the southern India state of Andhra Pradesh
from 1996 to until he resigned. He served as the Chief Minister
of the State for a record holding of nine years (1994–2004). He went onto become an important figure in Indian politics both at the state level and national level. As of October, 2011, he is the Leader of opposition in the AP State Assembly.
During his tenure, Chandrababu Naidu was the West's favourite Indian. Tony Blair
and Bill Clinton
both visited him in Hyderabad, the state capital. The governor of Illinois
created a Naidu Day in his honour. He also won numerous awards including 'IT Indian of the Millenium' by India Today
, Business Person of the Year by Economic Times
, member of the World Economic Forum's Dream Cabinet and South Asian of the Year by Time Asia. He also held post of chairperson of the "National IT Panel" under NDA govt and he was described as one of the Hidden Seven working wonders around the world, by Profit, a monthly magazine published by Oracle Corporation, US.
village of Chittoor district
on 20 April 1950. His father N. Kharjura Naidu was an agriculturist and his mother Ammanamma was a housewife. Due to lack of an education centre in his Native village, Naidu would travel one and half kilometres everyday to Seshapuram primary school upto class five. Then he went to the Chandragiri government high school, till class 9. He used to carry a lunch box, with either curry or chutney. Rarely did he have a choice.. He went to Tirupati for his higher education, where he studied from class 10 to his masters. M.Narayana Sastry, Naidu's Telugu teacher at the Chandragiri school said, "He always had leadership qualities. Being active, intelligent and hard working, he always used to attract the attention of fellow students." Naidu completed his BA in 1972, after which he enrolled in the MA (economics) course. In 1974, he started work on his PhD under the guidance of Professor D L Narayana, who was then Andhra Pradesh
State Finance Commission chairman. The topic was Economic ideas of Professor N G Ranga. He did not complete his Phd and started involving in active politics.
Being the Minister of State for Cinematography
, he came into contact with the then superstar and Matinee Idol of Telugu Cinema
, late Nandamuri Taraka Ramo Rao (NTR). The Nadamuri family was impressed with Chandrababu Naidu, and they soon proposed that NTR's daughter Bhuvaneswari be married to him. Naidu initially pondered about the proposal, whether a poor man like him could cope with the lifestyle of the Nandamuri's. When Naidu gave a positive response to the proposal, the wedding was conducted on a grand scale in Madras.
and invited Naidu to join the party, but Naidu politely refused and instead he stick to the Congress party and contested again from Chandragiri
constituency against a rival TDP candidate Venkatarama Naidu. By that time it was widely predicted NTR would sweep the polls, and as expected NTR won with a landslide majority, Naidu couldn't be one among the few Congress legislators who could fight NTR's tide and retain their seats. However, Naidu lost by a slender margin of 5,000 votes over the TDP candidate.
and won with a slender majority of 5,000-odd votes, Naidu was very unhappy with Chandragiri people's verdict in 1985. But, as the Congress had regained power in the state elections, Naidu had to sit in the Opposition. Naidu took complete care of the party and started strengthening the party, organised several meetings, rallies, workshops to build the party.
on 1 September 1995, he was also chosen as president of the Telugu Desam Party
. The chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu, has called for short-term sacrifices to turn Andhra Pradesh into an Asian tiger over the next 20 years. Naidu soon slashed subsidies for – among other things – food, and he raised power tariffs. Naidu soon gave a road map of Industrial policy and Investment policy of the state. On 11 October 1999, Naidu was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
for a second term.
Unlike the Congress government, he firmly believed in not giving away the freebies to people and instead asked them for short-term sacrifices for a better future. Most of his schemes would be focusing on a better administration, better infrastructure, better awareness, better education and better Job opportunities to the people.
. Naidu's main emphasis is on Information Technology, which he thinks can provide not just new jobs and wealth but also what he called SMART - Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent - government.
He was the first Chief Minister in India, who computerised the Government functioning and maintained a Government portal. Soon, he was called as "CEO of Andhra Pradesh"
Both CNN
and Time gave widespread coverage to Naidu's way of functioning, CNN said, In just five years, he has turned an impoverished, rural backwater place into India's new information technology hub..
Time magazine quoted, Naidu has shaken up the states moribund administration into the most efficient civil service in South Asia. On this regard Time has awarded as South Asian of the Year.
He later on became a major political figure in Andhra Pradesh.
(TDP) led by Mr.Naidu has swept to a landslide majority in the state house winning 185/294 seats in the State Assembly and 29/42 in the Lok Sabha. Telugu Desam Party and its ally Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) together bagged 37/42 seats in the [Lok Sabha] segment, while its rival congress could get a paltry four seats. Making it the second-largest ally in the new BJP led coalition government.
The Hindu
wrote "Chandrababu Naidu sees the mandate as an endorsement of his government's performance in the four years it was in office, and the total support of women voters who responded to his repeated calls at election rallies to vote in good numbers. It is his conviction that people would reward good governance and credible leadership. With this in mind, he worked almost "18 hours a day, 30 days a month and 365 days a year" right from the time he assumed office on 1 September 1995. He said that the triumph of the TDP only strengthened his resolve to continue the work with greater vigour.
BBC
said, Andhra Pradesh's State Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, has led his TDP back to power in the state with a clear majority. Mr Naidu went against prevailing political opinion, weathered criticism from the opposition Congress and left parties, and implemented a massive economic restructuring program. This was mostly because it was seen as a test case for economic reform as opposed to the old-fashioned politics of subsidies.
Time magazine Confined to the most important achievement of Naidu in 1999, is being re-elected. In October, voters returned his TDP for another five year term. Despite running a porkfree election campaign by rival congress Party, it was also promising voters free electricity, Naidu won by a landslide.
urging him to visit Hyderabad, and followed it up by personally meeting the US ambassador to India Richard Celeste a number of times with the request.
, Tirupati or Vijayawada
they may not go. So for the key sectors like information technology, biotechnology, healthcare and various outsourcing services."
Naidu started the slogan " Bye-Bye Banglore, Hello Hyderabad".. Microsoft Corporation has already set up a software development centre in Hyderabad, the second such centre outside its base in Seattle. Naidu managed to coax other global IT giants IBM, Dell, Deloitte, Computer Associates and Oracle to set up shop in Hyderabad, at a time when India hardly featured on global IT majors' radar. Naidu made impressive presentations before global CEOs and convinced them to invest in his state.
outfit, People War Group, now known as CPI Maoist. He escaped with a fractured left collar bone and a hairline fracture to two of his right ribs. The incident occurred around 16:00 (IST) when Naidu was travelling in a convoy, heading to the Lord Venkateshwara temple in the Tirumala hills for the annual Brahmotsavam festival.
The State Information Technology Minister B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, Telugu Desam legislators R. Rajasekhar Reddy and Ch. Krishnamurthy, as well as the driver Srinivasa Raju, were also injured. After an extensive investigation Naidu's survival was attributed to the armoured vehicle in which he was travelling.
led by Chandrababu Naidu failed to come into the power after two successive wins, winning as low as 47/294 constituencies in the state assembly and 5/42 in the Lok Sabha
segment. While many of his ministers lost, Naidu himself won by a huge margin in Kuppam
. But despite his growth-oriented policies, Naidu suffered a massive defeat at the hustings as the Andhra Pradesh voter cast his mandate in favour of the emotive issue of a separate Telengana state. The defeat sent shocking waves across the nation, especially to the BJP and it's allies.
. The anti-incumbency factor worked against him.
Apart from this, Naidu was widely accused that he pro-rich and ignored the farmers of the State. Mr Naidu ignored the large rural population with his policies, failing to reach poorer voters. Years of drought and increasing debt have driven hundreds of farmers in the state to commit suicide.
Many hailed this as the victory of the common man.
in exchange for kick backs.. Currently AP HC ordered a probe on Naidu's illegal assets.
Chittoor
Chittoor also known as Chittur, is a City and municipal corporation located in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is conveniently located on major highways linking the cities of Bangalore and Chennai....
district, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
was the President of Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
(TDP), a regional party in the southern India state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
from 1996 to until he resigned. He served as the Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of the State for a record holding of nine years (1994–2004). He went onto become an important figure in Indian politics both at the state level and national level. As of October, 2011, he is the Leader of opposition in the AP State Assembly.
During his tenure, Chandrababu Naidu was the West's favourite Indian. Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
both visited him in Hyderabad, the state capital. The governor of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
created a Naidu Day in his honour. He also won numerous awards including 'IT Indian of the Millenium' by India Today
India Today
India Today is an Indian weekly news magazine published by Living Media India Limited, in publication since 1975 based in Mumbai. India Today is also the name of its sister-publication in Hindi...
, Business Person of the Year by Economic Times
The Economic Times
The Economic Times is an English-language Indian daily newspaper published by the Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. The Economic Times was started in 1961. It is the most popular and widely read financial daily in India, read by more than 8 lakh people...
, member of the World Economic Forum's Dream Cabinet and South Asian of the Year by Time Asia. He also held post of chairperson of the "National IT Panel" under NDA govt and he was described as one of the Hidden Seven working wonders around the world, by Profit, a monthly magazine published by Oracle Corporation, US.
Early life and education
Naidu was born in the Naravari PalleNaravari Palle
Naravari Palle is a village located 10 km from the historical town of Chandragiri and 16 km from the temple city of Tirupati in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh, India....
village of Chittoor district
Chittoor district
Chittoor District , also known as Chittur, is a district of India's Andhra Pradesh state. The district headquarters is Chittoor City. The district has a population of 4,170,468 according to 2011 census of India. Chittoor district is famous for the Tirupati, Kanipakam and Sri Kalahasti temples...
on 20 April 1950. His father N. Kharjura Naidu was an agriculturist and his mother Ammanamma was a housewife. Due to lack of an education centre in his Native village, Naidu would travel one and half kilometres everyday to Seshapuram primary school upto class five. Then he went to the Chandragiri government high school, till class 9. He used to carry a lunch box, with either curry or chutney. Rarely did he have a choice.. He went to Tirupati for his higher education, where he studied from class 10 to his masters. M.Narayana Sastry, Naidu's Telugu teacher at the Chandragiri school said, "He always had leadership qualities. Being active, intelligent and hard working, he always used to attract the attention of fellow students." Naidu completed his BA in 1972, after which he enrolled in the MA (economics) course. In 1974, he started work on his PhD under the guidance of Professor D L Narayana, who was then Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
State Finance Commission chairman. The topic was Economic ideas of Professor N G Ranga. He did not complete his Phd and started involving in active politics.
Early political career
After staging a strong student leadership qualities, Naidu took a decision to pursue active politics. Naidu entered the political scene as a youth leader from Chandragiri and after that there was no looking back from him. During the Emergency, he was appointed as the Pulicherla Youth Congress president. He became close to then prime minister Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi.Legislative career 1978–1983
Naidu got a Congress ticket in 1978 under the 20 per cent quota for youth from the Chandragiri Constituency. He was elected into the state assembly of Andhra Pradesh in 1978 as a member of the Congress Party, and he almost immediately became the minister of technical education and Cinematography in T Anjaiah's cabinet, making him the state's youngest assembly member and youngest minister at 28.Being the Minister of State for Cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
, he came into contact with the then superstar and Matinee Idol of Telugu Cinema
Telugu cinema
The Cinema of Andhra Pradesh, also referred to as Telugu Cinema or Tollywood, is the Telugu film industry in India. The Telugu language film industry is known for being one of the three largest in terms of no.of films produced yearly in India. The Prasads IMAX theatre in Hyderabad is one of the...
, late Nandamuri Taraka Ramo Rao (NTR). The Nadamuri family was impressed with Chandrababu Naidu, and they soon proposed that NTR's daughter Bhuvaneswari be married to him. Naidu initially pondered about the proposal, whether a poor man like him could cope with the lifestyle of the Nandamuri's. When Naidu gave a positive response to the proposal, the wedding was conducted on a grand scale in Madras.
Legislative career 1983
In early 1982 there were rumours that, NTR is planning to plunge into politics by floating a regional political party. Just nine months before the scheduled general elections, NTR floated a regional party Telugu Desam PartyTelugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
and invited Naidu to join the party, but Naidu politely refused and instead he stick to the Congress party and contested again from Chandragiri
Chandragiri
Chandragiri , is a suburb of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, India. Recently it is included under Municipal Corporation limits of Tirupati...
constituency against a rival TDP candidate Venkatarama Naidu. By that time it was widely predicted NTR would sweep the polls, and as expected NTR won with a landslide majority, Naidu couldn't be one among the few Congress legislators who could fight NTR's tide and retain their seats. However, Naidu lost by a slender margin of 5,000 votes over the TDP candidate.
Joining Telugu Desam Party
- Dejected by the verdict of people of Chandragiri constituency, Naidu initially thought of abandoning politics and taking up business full time. As political hibernation threatened him, NTR summoned him and asked Naidu to join the Telugu Desam Party. Reluctantly he joined the Party. His advisers told him of the prevailing caste factors in the Indian National CongressIndian National CongressThe Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party, and the Kammas felt suffocated in the party. They could convince Naidu that he would have a better future in Telugu Desam PartyTelugu Desam PartyTelugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
.
- When Nadendla Bhaskar Rao staged the infamous coup against NTR in August 1984, it was Chandrababu Naidu who came to his father-in-law's rescue and helped him regain power. NTR appointed Naidu as the General Secretary of the party. He began playing a crucial role in the TDP after Nandendla Bhaskara Rao's Coup. NTR started relying heavily on him, realising that the others around could not match Naidu's drive and hard work. Chandrababu Naidu was fully in control of the party in all three regions of the state, and it was because of his efforts that NTR had regained his chair.
- NTR opted for a mid-term poll after regaining the chief ministership, but Chandrababu Naidu did not contest the poll. The Nandendla factor gave NTR another landslide.
Legislative career 1989–1994
In the 1989 Assembly Elections, Chandrababu Naidu contested from his native constituency KuppamKuppam
Kuppam is a census town in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. It is 105 km from Bangalore and 250 km from Chennai by rail. It is known for its granite quarries and a granite variety, Kuppam Green, is named after the town. Kuppam has now become an educational hub with an engineering...
and won with a slender majority of 5,000-odd votes, Naidu was very unhappy with Chandragiri people's verdict in 1985. But, as the Congress had regained power in the state elections, Naidu had to sit in the Opposition. Naidu took complete care of the party and started strengthening the party, organised several meetings, rallies, workshops to build the party.
Legislative career 1994–1999
In 1994, after the TDP regained power following an anti-Congress wave triggered by an anti-liquor agitation and a strong anti-incumbency factor, Naidu became the Finance and Revenue minister in the NTR's cabinet. By this time, Naidu was in total control of the party, all major decisions were taken with Naidu's consent.As a Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Naidu took over the post of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from his father-in-law N. T. Rama RaoN. T. Rama Rao
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao , also known as NTR and fondly referred to as Anna Garu, was an Indian film actor, director, producer, and a politician...
on 1 September 1995, he was also chosen as president of the Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
. The chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu, has called for short-term sacrifices to turn Andhra Pradesh into an Asian tiger over the next 20 years. Naidu soon slashed subsidies for – among other things – food, and he raised power tariffs. Naidu soon gave a road map of Industrial policy and Investment policy of the state. On 11 October 1999, Naidu was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
for a second term.
Unlike the Congress government, he firmly believed in not giving away the freebies to people and instead asked them for short-term sacrifices for a better future. Most of his schemes would be focusing on a better administration, better infrastructure, better awareness, better education and better Job opportunities to the people.
First generation politics
Naidu delivered enhanced infrastructure, education and technology. This attracted large-scale private investment which eventually generated rapid industrial growth in the state of Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. Naidu's main emphasis is on Information Technology, which he thinks can provide not just new jobs and wealth but also what he called SMART - Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent - government.
He was the first Chief Minister in India, who computerised the Government functioning and maintained a Government portal. Soon, he was called as "CEO of Andhra Pradesh"
Both CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and Time gave widespread coverage to Naidu's way of functioning, CNN said, In just five years, he has turned an impoverished, rural backwater place into India's new information technology hub..
Time magazine quoted, Naidu has shaken up the states moribund administration into the most efficient civil service in South Asia. On this regard Time has awarded as South Asian of the Year.
Rebelling Naidu
After having systematically sidelined the NTR's family by not letting them involve in core party affairs, Both NTR's wife Lakshmi Parvathi and NTR's son Hari krishna, rebelled Naidu. They formed their own respective parties, NTR TDP and Anna TDP.He later on became a major political figure in Andhra Pradesh.
1999 election victory
Telugu Desam PartyTelugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
(TDP) led by Mr.Naidu has swept to a landslide majority in the state house winning 185/294 seats in the State Assembly and 29/42 in the Lok Sabha. Telugu Desam Party and its ally Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP) together bagged 37/42 seats in the [Lok Sabha] segment, while its rival congress could get a paltry four seats. Making it the second-largest ally in the new BJP led coalition government.
The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
wrote "Chandrababu Naidu sees the mandate as an endorsement of his government's performance in the four years it was in office, and the total support of women voters who responded to his repeated calls at election rallies to vote in good numbers. It is his conviction that people would reward good governance and credible leadership. With this in mind, he worked almost "18 hours a day, 30 days a month and 365 days a year" right from the time he assumed office on 1 September 1995. He said that the triumph of the TDP only strengthened his resolve to continue the work with greater vigour.
BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
said, Andhra Pradesh's State Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, has led his TDP back to power in the state with a clear majority. Mr Naidu went against prevailing political opinion, weathered criticism from the opposition Congress and left parties, and implemented a massive economic restructuring program. This was mostly because it was seen as a test case for economic reform as opposed to the old-fashioned politics of subsidies.
Time magazine Confined to the most important achievement of Naidu in 1999, is being re-elected. In October, voters returned his TDP for another five year term. Despite running a porkfree election campaign by rival congress Party, it was also promising voters free electricity, Naidu won by a landslide.
IT revolution
Naidu wrote a letter to U.S. President Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
urging him to visit Hyderabad, and followed it up by personally meeting the US ambassador to India Richard Celeste a number of times with the request.
Hyderabad's development
Naidu quoted, "If you want to develop a state, you have to make its main cities a showpiece. Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Naturally, when a foreign investor is coming, if I ask them to go to WarangalWarangal
Warangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
, Tirupati or Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
they may not go. So for the key sectors like information technology, biotechnology, healthcare and various outsourcing services."
Naidu started the slogan " Bye-Bye Banglore, Hello Hyderabad".. Microsoft Corporation has already set up a software development centre in Hyderabad, the second such centre outside its base in Seattle. Naidu managed to coax other global IT giants IBM, Dell, Deloitte, Computer Associates and Oracle to set up shop in Hyderabad, at a time when India hardly featured on global IT majors' radar. Naidu made impressive presentations before global CEOs and convinced them to invest in his state.
2003 assassination attempt
On 1 October 2003, Naidu survived a land mine blast, which was believed to be part of an assassination attempt, planned by a naxalNaxalite
The word Naxal, Naxalite or Naksalvadi is a generic term used to refer to various militant Communist groups operating in different parts of India under different organizational envelopes...
outfit, People War Group, now known as CPI Maoist. He escaped with a fractured left collar bone and a hairline fracture to two of his right ribs. The incident occurred around 16:00 (IST) when Naidu was travelling in a convoy, heading to the Lord Venkateshwara temple in the Tirumala hills for the annual Brahmotsavam festival.
The State Information Technology Minister B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, Telugu Desam legislators R. Rajasekhar Reddy and Ch. Krishnamurthy, as well as the driver Srinivasa Raju, were also injured. After an extensive investigation Naidu's survival was attributed to the armoured vehicle in which he was travelling.
2004 elections failure
The Telugu Desam PartyTelugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
led by Chandrababu Naidu failed to come into the power after two successive wins, winning as low as 47/294 constituencies in the state assembly and 5/42 in the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
segment. While many of his ministers lost, Naidu himself won by a huge margin in Kuppam
Kuppam
Kuppam is a census town in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. It is 105 km from Bangalore and 250 km from Chennai by rail. It is known for its granite quarries and a granite variety, Kuppam Green, is named after the town. Kuppam has now become an educational hub with an engineering...
. But despite his growth-oriented policies, Naidu suffered a massive defeat at the hustings as the Andhra Pradesh voter cast his mandate in favour of the emotive issue of a separate Telengana state. The defeat sent shocking waves across the nation, especially to the BJP and it's allies.
Reasons behind 2004 election debacle
According to Naidu, the 2004 election failure is primarily attributed to the severe drought that gripped during his rule, especially in the year 2004. He insisted to the election commissioner that elections are held in January, but rather they were held in May 2004. The Telangana statehood issue raked by TRS in 2001, made considerable damage to the party in the TelanganaTelangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
. The anti-incumbency factor worked against him.
Apart from this, Naidu was widely accused that he pro-rich and ignored the farmers of the State. Mr Naidu ignored the large rural population with his policies, failing to reach poorer voters. Years of drought and increasing debt have driven hundreds of farmers in the state to commit suicide.
Many hailed this as the victory of the common man.
His achievements in his career
- He served as the Chief Minister of the State for a record holding of 9 years (1994–2004)
- The state's youngest assembly member and youngest minister at 28
- He also won numerous awards including 'IT Indian of the Millenium'
Controversies
There is some controversy surrounding the defeat of the then chief minister and his father-in-law, N.T. Rama Rao in 1995.During his tenure as chief minister there were allegations of favouritism shown to Reliance IndustriesReliance Industries
Reliance Industries Limited is an Indian conglomerate company headquartered at Mumbai, India. The company operates through three business segments: petrochemicals, refining, and oil and gas, other segment of the company includes textile, retail business, special economic zone development and...
in exchange for kick backs.. Currently AP HC ordered a probe on Naidu's illegal assets.