Naidu doing a Modi

Like Narendra Modi, he has taken to talking about his achievements as the Chief Minister and the prospects of growth in the State. He seems to have figured out that the youth of the day detest torrents of criticism

Hyderabad: There appears to be a perceptible change in the tone and tenor of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu.
After deciding to align with the BJP for the coming general elections, Naidu has been taking steps towards image makeover. He started talking about development and future prospects of progress.

This is a clear departure from his standard speeches so far, which were loaded with harsh criticism of the ruling Congress party and the fledgling YSRCP.

Naidu sounded poll bugle at the TDP brainstorming session on Friday. He continued the refrain on Saturday at the concluding session. He spoke of development through education and employment.

Reminding the people that he was instrumental in bringing Bill Gates to Hyderabad, Naidu went on to narrate his achievements during his tenure at the helm.

This, he seems to have figured out, is the language that the youth today would like to hear. The youngsters are fed up with torrents of criticism, unabated violent language and irresponsible allegations being indulged in by politicians of all hues. The negative vibrations have been irritating them.

After losing for the second time in 2009, Naidu appears to have concluded that what all he did during 1995-2004 did not make the people happy and that was responsible for his successive defeats. His attitude towards the farmers when they were in dire straits in the wake of continuous drought and failure of crops was evidently was insensitive, to say the least.

But not all he did was wrong. Instead of identifying the positive and negative aspects of his regime, Naidu gave the impression that following YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s welfare regime was the only way to win back the hearts of the poor people. He stopped talking about the development for which he was responsible.

Instead, he was focusing on making tall promises to all and sundry. He went into an overdrive on the welfare road assuring the people that his government would take care of every one of their needs and what all they have to do to vote for his party. Naidu has been, of late, trying to take a leaf from the campaign book of Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP.

In spite of the Congress and the Left parties constantly reminding the people of the 2002 Gujarat pogrom under Modi’s watch, the Gujarat Chief Minister refuses to answer criticism on that account and goes on talking about his achievements as chief minister and the prospects of growth in the country.

While taking potshots at the Congress led UPA-II regime, Modi concentrates his energies on giving hope to the country’s youth. He brings in unity, Sardar Patel, progress, inclusive growth, etc.

Modi has been able to connect with the youth whether in North India or South India. He has been attracting enthusiastic youth in Patna or Bhopal as well as Hyderabad or Chennai.

On deciding to team up with Modi, Naidu changed his tactics and took to development language. Instead of making tall and unviable promises and failing later, it is better to talk of something that is tangible and beneficial in the long run. It is time Naidu unveiled his vision for both the areas of the State whether they are together or separated.

Naidu’s son Lokesh has been inching towards the leadership role and this meet has formalized his important role in the party. His presence with laptop and his ability to explain things through the help of PowerPoint presentation won many admirers among the TDP leaders.

His decision to work from NTR Bhavan, party office, is a sure indication of serious engagement with the party work. Lokesh’s exhortation to the party members on Saturday that they should fight both in Seemandhra and Telangana to win had set the leaders from Seemandhra thinking.