Chandrababu Naidu’s old criticisms of Modi resurface online

A five-year-old video and a tweet by Naidu criticizing the Modi government is going viral on social media platforms, stirring discussions online.

Hyderabad: With 240 seats secured, the Bharatiya Janata Party is falling short of a majority on its own and is heavily dependent on its alliance partners, including Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], to reach the 272-seat majority needed to form the government. Amidst this scenario,  old videos and tweets by Naidu criticizing the Modi government is going viral on social media platforms, stirring discussions online.

“Modi has systematically destroyed prestigious institutions of India. In BJP govt’s rule, institutional autonomy and democracy have been under attack. From CBI to RBI, even a constitutional authority like the Election Commission was not spared,” read the tweet from Naidu, which was posted on April 16, 2019, right after the AP Assembly elections at that time.

---

Modi has systematically destroyed prestigious institutions of India. In BJP govt’s rule, institutional autonomy and democracy have been under attack.

From CBI to RBI, even a constitutional authority like the Election Commission was not spared.

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) April 16, 2019

“Modi-Shah govt has betrayed the nation. The public mandate that brought them to power also has the strength to overthrow them. If BJP tries to victimize our leaders and harass the public, it will pay a heavy price. We will fight fearlessly to save democracy. #UnitedIndiaAtBrigade (sic),” Naidu said in an other tweet.

Modi-Shah govt has betrayed the nation. The public mandate that brought them to power also has the strength to overthrow them. If BJP tries to victimize our leaders and harass the public, it will pay a heavy price. We will fight fearlessly to save democracy. #UnitedIndiaAtBrigade

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) January 19, 2019

“We want to send this message across loud & clear, all efforts by BJP to attack the Indian democracy will be met with a strong opposition. People must understand that any leader will do better than PM Modi ji. BJP govt has let the people of this country down in all possible ways. (sic), he wrote in an other tweet.

We want to send this message across loud & clear, all efforts by BJP to attack the Indian democracy will be met with a strong opposition. People must understand that any leader will do better than PM Modi ji. BJP govt has let the people of this country down in all possible ways.

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) November 1, 2018

Additionally, in an old video from 2019, Chandrababu Naidu is seen discussing with a journalist, stating that his party follows a secular agenda and previously allied with Modi out of political compulsion. He emphasizes that today’s necessity is democratic, adding that “all leaders are better than Narendra Modi” and “Prime Ministers were chosen after elections.”

Babu garu!!!

Wow!!! pic.twitter.com/zTuz94yCnJ

— We Dravidians (@WeDravidians) June 4, 2024

Citing Naidu’s tweet and the viral video, many on social media are urging him to reconsider his position in the NDA and to join the INDIA alliance instead. “ hope you will stand by your statements and adhere to your political ideals to protect the constitutional institutions of the country (sic),” read a tweet. “So True sir (sic),” retweeted actor Prakash Raj.

So True sir.. #justasking https://t.co/DpNpepO7fV

— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) June 5, 2024

However, Naidu has confirmed his participation in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting on Wednesday. It has also been reported that the Congress has reached out to both Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar through multiple channels, in the hopes that they might reconsider their position in the NDA alliance in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his former INDIA ally and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav were reportedly seen taking the same flight to the national capital on Wednesday.