Five years ago, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were fierce political adversaries, exchanging bitter accusations in public.
People still remember how Naidu harshly criticized Modi, calling him a man without values and someone who had no respect for family.
Modi, too, did not hold back. He accused Naidu of promoting dynastic politics and indulging in massive corruption, claiming that Naidu had turned the Polavaram project into an ATM to siphon off funds.
Fast forward to the present, and the political landscape has changed dramatically.
The TDP has returned to the NDA fold and joined hands with the BJP to form the government in Andhra Pradesh.
Both Modi and Naidu appear to have moved on from their acrimonious past, now projecting an image of close camaraderie.
At the relaunch of the Amaravati capital works on Friday, Modi and Naidu were seen showering praise on each other, much to the surprise of political observers and the delight of the audience.
The Prime Minister lauded Naidu for his pioneering role in shaping India’s tech landscape.
He recalled how Naidu’s early efforts in building Hyderabad’s IT sector served as inspiration for his own initiatives when he became Chief Minister of Gujarat.
“Chandrababu Naidu was praising me today, saying that technology in India started with me. But when I was newly appointed as Gujarat CM, I was closely observing how Chandrababu was developing the IT sector in Hyderabad,” Modi said.
He further explained that he had studied Naidu’s approach through officials and applied those learnings on a national scale.
“I understood the process through my team, and today, I’m able to implement those insights across the country,” he added.
Modi also applauded Naidu’s efficiency in executing large-scale projects.
“In this country, when it comes to taking up ambitious projects, completing them swiftly, and ensuring high quality — no one does it better than Chandrababu,” he remarked.
Earlier in the event, Naidu was equally generous in his praise for Modi.
“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India is emerging as a strong global economic power. When he became PM in 2014, India ranked 10th in the world economy. In just 11 years, he has taken it to 5th place,” Naidu said.
He went on to describe Modi as the right leader at the right time.
“His model of welfare, development, and empowerment has transformed the nation. Fifteen crore people have been lifted out of poverty. Every decision of Modi ji puts the nation first,” Naidu asserted.
