BJP picks Naidu as NDA convenor

Vijayawada: Not only the leaders and activists of the TDP, Jana Sena and BJP, but also the people of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana burst crackers and celebrated the resounding victory of the NDA in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls on Tuesday.

Significantly, the BJP, which suffered a setback at national level as it could not reach the magic figure on its own, decided to name TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu as the convenor of the NDA.

Naidu, who sought 48 hours’ time to give his nod for the proposal, met Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan in the evening at the latter’s office and discussed various issues including forming the government on June 9 and the possible venue and on which files he should append his first signature. He also discussed the offer made by the BJP to him. Both the leaders have decided to attend the meeting of the NDA partners in New Delhi on Wednesday. Naidu is likely to stay back in Delhi on Wednesday night.

It was decided that all the three alliance partners will meet at Vijayawada on Thursday and decide the time and venue for the oath-taking ceremony.

Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed BJP workers in New Delhi, congratulated Naidu and said that the Centre would do everything that was necessary to develop the state. He said the alliance under Naidu’s leadership had achieved great victory.

Political circles in Andhra Pradesh feel that the political situation now would be akin to what it was during the time of Atal Behari Vajpayee between 1999 and 2004. At that time, the TDP had played a key role in the NDA government at the Centre and Naidu was the convenor of the NDA.