Seriously, Chandrababu Naidu Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai?

By Likha Veer | INNLIVE

Chandrababu Naidu has been maha miffed with the BJP from the day that the saffron party admitted his sister–in–law Purandeswari into their fold. A union minister and MP from Visakhapatnam Purandeswari found her political career at grave risk after her government granted Telangana. Worried she ran to her brother Balakrishna to convince Naidu to allow her in the TDP. 

After all, the party was founded by her father! But Naidu with equal antipathy for her husband and she was unwilling to relent. Probably he would have if she had persisted but in the meanwhile BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu jumped into the scene. “Join us,” he sent news to the minister, “We will give you the Visakhapatnam or Vijayawada seat, which ever you want.” Purandeswari was ready. 
When he heard all this Naidu hit the ceiling. He was more angered because talks for a TDP–BJP alliance were already on. This was a deliberate ploy by BJP he realized because his antipathy for Purandeswari is an open secret. 
    
As it is Naidu was already a little upset with the BJP. The TDP boss had put his faith on BJP to stall Telangana. When the drift in Delhi appeared to be pro Telangana, Naidu approached Sushma Swaraj who refused to entertain his queries. In desperation he sought out Modi, who expressed helplessness. However Naidu was able to convince Modi to insist with BJP MPs to move an amendment in Rajya Sabha for a Seemandhra package. 
    
Naidu has dealt with the BJP even in the past being part of the NDA government between 1999-2004. That time Naidu’s voice carried far: thus he was able to prevent Telangana from happening when the three states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttaranchal were created. Often times Naidu used to dictate his terms to Delhi: he was able to get a novice from his party appointed as speaker of the Lok Sabha. 

That time Naidu’s flag was hoist with all the adulation that he was getting for engaging the business community starting with Bill Gates. Visitors were dazzled by the transformation of sleepy Hyderabad into a hi-tech district. 
    
But that was then. With defeats in two elections behind him, Naidu realized that times are different and there is a certain Narendra Modi who has captured his USP of being the darling of business. But Naidu thinks that at least he should do business on equal terms with the BJP. Perhaps even consider him as a NDA Prime Ministerial candidate, if the BJP is unable to make the cut with Modi at the helm. 
    
It has now dawned on Naidu that the BJP and especially Modi have other plans. This became clear to him the day film star Pawan Kalyan went to Gandhinagar to call on Modi. This was followed by the trip of Nagarjuna. Naidu the astute politician realized that the Modi-led BJP wants to create its own base in the state and have a direct one to one connect with important people and once in power would prefer not to work through him, as Vajpayee and Advani used to. 

What miffed Naidu more was that even as Nagarjuna was calling on Modi, as if on cue BJP Seemandhra president Haribabu announced that Amala would be the BJP’s candidate from Vijayawada. For those who came in late Amala a former film actress herself is Nagarjuna’s wife. Naidu also heard from the bush radio that Modi has promised Pawan Kalyan two Rajya Sabha seats and many assembly seats for his candidates. As a result, Pawan Kalyan is now chanting ‘vote for Modi.’ But Pawan Kalyan who was initially prompted by Naidu makes no mention of him. 
    
Last week Modi was on the horn of dilemma. If he did business with the BJP there was a chance that the saffron party will slowly spread its tentacles and erode his base. If he did not, he would face the prospects of an unequal battle with Jagan in Seemandhra. An alliance with BJP would help him benefit from a Modi effect. 

Poll surveys in the last few days have come as an ego booster: they show him in close contest with Jagan. Now Chandrababu Naidu will do business on equal terms with Venakaiah Naidu and not get carried away by all the hype around Narendra Modi. Now his men say that BJP leaders are lengthening their ‘talks with TDP by taking recourse to irrelevant details’. 

However Venkaiah Naidu has promised Chandrababu that if he is so adamant the saffron party will not field Purandeswari. But Naidu does not know how much he can trust Naidu!