Right governance is right politics: Chandrababu Naidu on NDA’s impressive Bihar victory

Visakhapatnam: Heaping generous praise on Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and key NDA partner N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday credited the prime minister for the coalition’s thumping majority in Bihar, saying it proved that “right governance is right politics”.

“Narendra Modi’s leadership (has) produced a new model -- empowerment through welfare, development and good governance,” Naidu told PTI in an interview. The Telugu Desam Party leader was speaking on the sidelines of the state’s investment summit here.

The chief minister said that Modi has been consistently winning elections since he became chief minister of Gujarat in 2001. He knows “how to communicate, how to carry people and how to perform also”, Naidu said.

Bucking all expectations, the BJP-led NDA won a landslide 202 seats in the 243-member Bihar legislative assembly, the BJP itself performing better with its tally of 89 seats.

Despite being the largest party, BJP is likely to keep its electoral promise and continue with JD-U leader Nitish Kumar as the chief minister of Bihar.

Asked about Nitish’s role in the victory, Naidu said the Bihar chief minister’s policies and governance have also been recognised by the electorate.

“Bihar everybody knows very well was jungle raj. He was able to put an end to it. Now both Nitish Kumar — what he has done, what he is doing — and also Narendra Modi — what he is doing — that is the endorsement of the elections,” he said.

Asked if BJP’s increasing strength in state assemblies — Bihar comes after the electoral performance in Maharashtra — will diminish the role of coalition partners in the National Democratic Alliance, Naidu said, “No I don’t want to assume all those things. NDA has won. They are very wise to take decisions, and take them forward.” His TDP, he said, is very comfortable in the NDA coalition. “Nation first, that is our motto,” he asserted.

Naidu also dismissed reports that his relations with Modi, whom he had criticised bitterly in 2018, are fraught with tensions.

Naidu was part of the NDA alliance till 2018 but parted ways over the demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh. He returned to the NDA fold in the 2024 general elections, which were accompanied by the Andhra state assembly election swept by the TDP. Asked specifically what his relations with the PM are right now, he said, “I am very happy. We need this king of leaders for the country. I really appreciate him.” To a question on whether the friction of the past is over now, Naidu replied, “No problem at all, We are very close to him. Never had any personal problems with him.” "Now, people are believing in India, Narendra Modi's leadership. He produced a new model, empowerment through welfare, development and also sustainable, and also good governance.” Noting that India is on its way to becoming the world’s third largest economy - after being the 11th largest 12 years ago — Naidu said all these things are happening because of continuations of government with its consistent policies.

“This is where India is recognising, Indians are recognising his performance. People want… better future, better living standards. This is what he is providing now. So this election gave a message (that) right governance is right politics,” he said.

Looking ahead, Naidu added, "Now that the ecosystem is creating stability, now if we can plan properly, we can move to higher growth rates."