Chandrababu Naidu’s Delhi visit: First sign of Oppn unity?

Once again Delhi is turning out to be a hub of political activity. While Naidu went to Delhi and met several leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, BSP leader Mayawati, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and CPI leaders D Raja and S Sudhakar Reddy and gave an indication that Opposition parties could join hands ahead of the elections to the five State Assemblies, the Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao left on a two-day visit to Delhi on Sunday evening.

Though officially he has gone to Delhi for medical check-up, speculations are rife that his visit has political overtones. One will have to wait and watch to find out the real intention behind his Delhi visit as KCR, unlike Naidu, does not believe in making a big show of his visit. He does not allow even media to come anywhere near the place where he stays.  

While time only will tell whether Naidu will succeed in bringing all likeminded parties under one umbrella in the next 30 days’ time or not, the fact is that serious efforts to form an anti-BJP front at national level has begun. The very fact that Naidu dwelled more on national issues during his press conference in Delhi and declared that it was the beginning of the big fight with the Centre and the series of meetings he had with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sharad Yadav and other leaders indicates the seriousness of his efforts.

There is a possibility that the TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy could be the pointsman for Naidu for talks with AICC. Interestingly, the alliance the TDP is having with the Congress in Telangana and the efforts to form a grand alliance in Delhi has narrowed the animosity between the TDP and the APCC in Andhra Pradesh. 

APCC president N Raghuveera Reddy, who used to go hammer and tongs against Naidu till recently, changed his tone and tenor and on Saturday alleged that the BJP and the YSRCP are hatching conspiracy to destabilise the government in Andhra Pradesh.

At a press conference in Amravati on Saturday, the PCC president almost exonerated the State government. He indirectly pointed out that the attack on Opposition leader at Visakhapatnam airport on Thursday showed that the Centre was hatching conspiracy to dethrone the State government. On the same day, Naidu said coming together of all Opposition parties was a political and democratic compulsion.

In fact, the meeting with Mayawati and the way she exhibited the bonhomie gives an impression that it could be the first step in the direction of being a gamechanger. The BSP has some vote share in three States, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

She had refused to go with the Congress in these States and this was considered to be a big jolt to the Opposition unity. It now appears that Naidu prevailed upon her to change her line of thinking. Her inclination to be friendly with Naidu could be seen the way she escorted him to his car and blessed him. The same Mayawati did not agree to meet Pawan Kalyan couple of days back.  

Naidu and left parties who were at loggerheads all these days also seem to be slowly cosying up. They had even announced earlier that they would work with Pawan Kalyan. But now the top CPI leadership seems to be willing to be part of the proposed front at national level.