CBN at NDA meeting Delhi (Video Grab)
A five-year-old video and a series of tweets by Chandrababu Naidu criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi are going viral on social media, reigniting discussions about Naidu’s past statements. This resurgence comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secures 240 seats, falling short of the 272-seat majority needed to form the government independently. The BJP now relies heavily on alliance partners like Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)].
In one viral tweet from April 16, 2019, Naidu accused Modi of destroying prestigious Indian institutions, stating, “Modi has systematically destroyed prestigious institutions of India. In BJP govt’s rule, institutional autonomy and democracy have been under attack. From CBI to RBI, even a constitutional authority like the Election Commission was not spared.” Another tweet from Naidu read, “Modi-Shah govt has betrayed the nation. The public mandate that brought them to power also has the strength to overthrow them. If BJP tries to victimize our leaders and harass the public, it will pay a heavy price. We will fight fearlessly to save democracy. #UnitedIndiaAtBrigade.”
Additionally, Naidu emphasized in another tweet, “We want to send this message across loud & clear, all efforts by BJP to attack Indian democracy will be met with strong opposition. People must understand that any leader will do better than PM Modi ji. BJP govt has let the people of this country down in all possible ways.”
In an old video from 2019, Naidu is seen discussing with a journalist, emphasizing that his party follows a secular agenda and previously allied with Modi out of political compulsion. He stressed the current necessity for democracy, stating that “all leaders are better than Narendra Modi” and that “Prime Ministers were chosen after elections.”
Citing Naidu’s tweets and the viral video, many on social media are urging him to reconsider his position in the NDA and to join the INDIA alliance instead. “Hope you will stand by your statements and adhere to your political ideals to protect the constitutional institutions of the country (sic),” read a tweet. “So true sir (sic),” retweeted actor Prakash Raj.
Despite this, Naidu has confirmed his participation in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting on Wednesday. Reports also suggest that the Congress has reached out to both Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar through multiple channels, hoping they might reconsider their position in the NDA alliance in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his former INDIA ally, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, were reportedly seen taking the same flight to the national capital on Wednesday.
