Chameleon Chandrababu Kills Telugu Pride To Revive Flagging Political Career
Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Nara Chandrababu Naidu has proved to be the biggest chameleon in national politics. His four-decade long experience, which he constantly trumpets, is chequered with rank opportunism. A Congressman in the 1970s, he became NTR'S son-in-law and quickly jumped ship to join the newly-formed Telugu Desam Party at that time. NTR rode to power on anti-Congressism and Telugu pride back then. Chandrababu Naidu, as the larger-than-life chief minister's son-in-law, stood in the shadows and focussed on the party network.
As it turned out later, his skills at manipulating people and conditions to his advantage proved handy to Chandrababu Naidu a decade later. He dethroned the iconic NTR in one fell swoop and became chief minister of the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh.
Also Read: Chandrababu Meeting Rahul Gandhi Not In Line with TDP Ideals: TRS, BJP
Chandrababu jumped on to the Vajpayee-led NDA bandwagon and when the tide seemed to go against the BJP, distanced himself from the saffron party, only to hail Narendra Modi a decade later as a great visionary.
Chandrababu, forever the piggyback rider in politics, became chief minister after the TDP secured a slender lead, thanks to Modi and Jana Sena founder, actor Pawan Kalyan, who were part of the TDP-led alliance after the division of the state.
Suddenly, Chandrababu seems to have discovered the virtues of opposition united and standing up the BJP, as this tweet, following his much-publicised meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders.
Together with a united opposition, we are going to fight for Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh. All the efforts are going to be made to ensure that justice is done to our State and those who betrayed the Telugu people are defeated. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) November 1, 2018
His opportunism however, didn't go unnoticed. Veteran journalist Shekhar Gupta posted this tweet for observers, for keepsakes.
If you ever thought something is impossible in politics, keep this picture handy for a reality check... — Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) November 1, 2018
There’re no permanent friends or foes in politics, but only forever shifting vested interests... pic.twitter.com/f2uQnE6yQH
Others on the microblogging site were quick to post reminders of the TDP's hostility to the Congress till recently:
కాంగ్రెస్ తో టీడీపీ కలవదు...కలవదు...కలవదు?? — saikumar (@saikumarktr) November 1, 2018 This is called political opportunism — Murali Krishna (@MuralikrishnaE1) November 1, 2018 Which he is very much capable of and he has proved it again today. — ?? Vidyasagar Jagadeesan ?? (@jvidyasagar) November 1, 2018 What happens to #TeluguPride now?? — Hunting_Hunters (@eparitosh) November 1, 2018 Officially dead... murdered by the great backstabber n son in law of Telugu pride founder Ntr... — MANAS (@dasari_manash) November 1, 2018 #Telugu pride must be restored by kicking @ncbn out of power in 2019.#AndhraPradeshDay — Hunting_Hunters (@eparitosh) November 1, 2018 Its not actually a coup but a death trap laid to telugu pride then in 1995 unofficially.... Today it just became official.... Hope now that official death trap must be for his useless party... — MANAS (@dasari_manash) November 1, 2018
అట్ల కలిస్తే నేను ఉరేసుకుంటా అన్న
KE కృష్ణమూర్తి మాటలు వినండి...@KTRTRS #TelanganaElection2018 #PhirEkBaarKCR pic.twitter.com/JAQcmWrXcZ
AIMIM supremo and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi tore into Chandrababu's claims of 'secularism.'
@ncbn supported BJP when Gujrat Pogrom happened in 2002,was part of @PMOIndia cabinet while Akhlaq,pahlu khan,Rohit,JUNAID,Aleemuddin where murdered,during his tenure as CM erstwhile AP many communal riots happened,AZIZ & AZAM killed in encounter NOW Saviour of Secularism WAH https://t.co/6REDz9AgdE — Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) November 1, 2018
Rajya Sabha MP and BJP national spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao was equally unsparing of Chandrababu's opportunism:
TDP Govt in AP is mired in many scandals (IT, PD accounts, Irrigation scam etc.) MPs are being probed for misappropriation, tax evasion. Reason why Chandrababu Naidu is running from pillar to post to forge a 'Corrupt Alliance' in Delhi. #TDPisDesperatehttps://t.co/OtzBiIz5RK — GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) November 1, 2018
