PM Narendra Modi is a failed leader: Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu says he has had to pay a heavy price for speaking out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In an interview to Robin David, he elaborates why he has squared off against the PM. Excerpts:

You say Narendra Modi is not a great leader. Why?

If you have an efficient leader at the top, it has a multiplier effect. Let’s take the case of Narendra Modi as prime minister. People expected a lot from him. He promoted the Gujarat model. Gujarat is not a great model because the 21st century is about knowledge economy. Where is the knowledge in Gujarat? It is a fundamental defect. They are only looking at business. For me, they are not entrepreneurs. Look at the IITs and the IIMs, do you see any toppers from Gujarat? In united Andhra Pradesh, I created a knowledge hub in Hyderabad. Bangalore, Hyderabad, these are places of the future.

Modi doesn’t have leadership because he won’t believe anyone. If you have a meritorious candidate, he will not promote him. He is killing leadership whether it is the bureaucracy, media, politics or corporate. If you kill leadership, it will be disaster for the nation.

A lot of people will disagree with you. They admire Modi for his leadership.

Why are the people of this country feeling stress? Speak to the corporate sector and see how they are feeling. You are humiliating them, threatening them. Even politicians can’t attack him or criticise him (Modi).

But Rahul Gandhi and you have consistently attacked him without fear.

We have done so and paid a heavy price. There have been so many attacks on our people. Income tax, ED, CBI - all these agencies have been unleashed on us.

The same agencies were used by other parties in power at the Centre.

Yes, they have used them but not to this extent. The scale at which these agencies are being used now is different. In the past, I have fought with Congress. This is absolute misuse (of the central agencies).

What do you have to say about the chowkidar campaign of the Prime Minister?

So far, he has been saying that he is the only chowkidar of the country. If you (Modi) are the chowkidar, naturally, the keys are with you and then you are allowing in only thieves and corrupt people.

What do you mean when you say you have been targeted by central agencies?

My MLAs and MPs have been targeted. What is my crime? I demanded special status for Andhra Pradesh and implementation of the bifurcation provisions. We are paying a heavy price for this.

But one can say that the MLAs and MPs are being targeted because they have something to hide…

Are you saying that my people did not have anything to hide when I was part of NDA? Only after I differed with you did you discover that my people had something to hide. Now, you are protecting one of the most corrupt persons – Jagan Mohan Reddy. I recently gave details of a land scam in Hyderabad by Jagan and the case was established by ED. The details were given to CBI, but they sat over it. Now, what does the chowkidar have to say?

You played a big role in bringing all opposition parties together on one platform for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. How much of that narrative has changed since the Pulwama terror attack and Balakot strikes?

Pulwama is one event. Such events are going on in the country. And, according to me, it shows Modi failed. His intelligence has failed. Earlier, Modi attacked (former prime minister) Manmohan Singh on intelligence failure every time there was a terror attack. The same rule applies to Modi as well.

Will the collection of opposition leaders be in a position to run the government for five years?

Remember that a minority government ushered in economic reforms – P V Narsimha Rao. He completed five years. After that all governments were minority governments. After short terms for Deve Gowda and I K Gujral, both Vajpayee and Manmohan completed full terms. Modi made history in 2014 by becoming the first non-Congress government at the Centre to get absolute majority. What is the growth rate? Why are you hiding the figures?

A lot has changed in Andhra Pradesh since 2014. You were with NDA then and there was a Modi wave. Besides, Pavan Kalyan was supporting you. In 2019, you have no poll alliances. How do you see your chances?

Whether you have an alliance or not, you will win if the people are with you. Since 1983, we have fought election, sometimes with alliances and sometimes without them. And let me tell you, both BJP and Congress are responsible for bifurcation. BJP supported bifurcation within 15 minutes (in Parliament).

Both Congress and BJP supported bifurcation and did injustice to Andhra Pradesh. Today, you (BJP) are not giving us what the Congress government promised. The anger has shifted from BJP to Congress. There is no fair division (of united AP).

They have given liabilities to Andhra Pradesh, assets to Telangana.

Is Hyderabad the biggest asset you lost?

Yes, I created that ecosystem. Today, Telangana has 65% service sector because of Hyderabad, thanks to the Outer Ring Road, international airport, Shamshabad, Cyberabad. Andhra Pradesh is 45% service sector. I created Hyderabad for 100% of Andhra Pradesh, but after bifurcation, it has gone to 42% of the population.

What do you say about the IT Grids case and the allegation that your party app had Aadhaar data?

I ask Telangana, who are you to take my data? You raided that company without booking a case. Is it right? I promoted Hyderabad to the world by saying that there was privacy in India and their data will be sage. Data is wealth. You have taken my data and given it to YSRCP. What right does Telangana have to do this?

There was an alleged attempt at trying to delete a large number of voters from electoral rolls in Andhra Pradesh. And you have pointed a finger at Prashant Kishor.

That fellow has done it. That fellow is a notorious criminal, there is no doubt in that. I will not allow such activities in Andhra Pradesh. You can do this in Bihar, not Andhra Pradesh. He wanted to delete nearly nine lakh votes.

If an opportunity comes, do you want to play a bigger role in national politics?

No, I am interested in creating model for the global community by using technology and creating ease-of-doing business, ease of living and creating higher living standards in AP.

So, you don’t have national ambition?

No, they tried in 1995-96 as well, but I said no. That is how I developed Hyderabad. Had I gone to Delhi, I would not have been able to do a chief minister’s job. For a regional party, that is a big constraint.