Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s appeal to the people at his roadshow in Kurnool district to give him one last chance to come to power has kicked up a big debate in the state political circles.
Naidu made the comment while recalling his vow that he would enter the state assembly again only in the capacity of the chief minister and hence, the coming elections would be the last such opportunity for him.
According to sources, Naidu made the statement not out of his hat but after a deep thinking as per the suggestions from his political strategy team.
“He wants to make an emotional appeal to the people but he knows that he is taking a calculated risk,” an analyst said.
By saying that he is still physically fit and agile to run the state, Naidu sent the message to the people that he may not have the same fitness and agility by 2029 elections. That is why he requested them to give him a last chance.
“It is a sort of emotional blackmailing. If this sentiment works out and the people think: okay let us vote for him for one last time, Naidu will come to power. But there is also a possibility that this blackmailing may backfire, as the people may think Naidu would anyway fade out after a few years, then it will be the end of the road for him,” the analyst said.
The YSR Congress party leaders have already started taking pot shots at Naidu, saying at last he had admitted that the coming elections would be the last for Naidu and the TDP would be dead after the elections.
“Naidu has spelt out what he is feeling inside; that the next elections would be his last,” senior minister Botsa Satyanaryana said.
Meanwhile, Naidu’s comments have also led to the talk that he has given a new hope to the Bharatiya Janata Party which is hoping to replace the TDP asa the major opposition after the next elections.
Normally, any leader expresses confidence, at least in public, that he would come to power in the elections. But Naidu’s comments show he has already conceded defeat, a BJP leader said.
“He is trying to get the sympathy from the people that if they don’t bring him to power again, he will have to quietly retire from politics. It is nothing but an emotional blackmailing which will obly backfire on him,” the BJP leader said.
