Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday asserted that his party will be with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
TDP and its allies won the assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh with a huge mandate winning 164 seats in the 175-member state assembly.
Speaking to reporters at his residence at Undavalli in Amaravati, Naidu refused to comment on speculations about the TDP getting an invitation from the INDIA bloc alliance.
“I have been in politics for several years and had seen so many political changes in the country. We are in the NDA, and I am going to New Delhi this afternoon to take part in the meeting of the NDA allies. I shall let you know all the details once I return from New Delhi,” Naidu said.
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The TDP chief credited the assembly poll victory to his alliance partners – BJP and Janasena Party (JsP).
“It is a combined effort, and we are all equals. I thank Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan for taking the initiative in building up the alliance to prevent splitting of the anti-establishment vote. The BJP also joined the mission to save democracy,” he said.
Stating that it was a historic election that he had witnessed in his 45 years of political career, Naidu said this was the biggest mandate after 1994 when the TDP had come to power with a huge majority so that there was no leader of opposition in the House.
“The NDA secured 55.38% votes, including 45.60% for TDP, whereas the YSR Congress party got only 39.37% vote share,” he said.
He pointed out that even voters from abroad returned to their hometowns to vote.
“People who had gone to neighbouring states in search of work also came back to their villages to cast their vote. I thank every voter who reposed faith in the TDP and the allies,” he said.
Naidu praised his party workers for sticking together and ensuring the TDP’s win.
“Even in a situation when they were harassed to say Jai Jagan, they stuck to their “Jai TDP” and “Jai Chandrababu” slogans. We spent these last five years struggling to protect democracy, we’ve succeeded today,” he further added.
Naidu asserted that the people should ultimately win and stand for the development of the state.
“We shall rule the state in a responsible manner and rebuild Andhra Pradesh and restore its glory,” he added.
Out of the 175 seats, TDP won 135 seats by itself with allies JnP and BJP winning 21 and 8 seats respectively.
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) got 11 seats.
While in Lok Sabha, TDP won 16 seats with BJP and JnP winning 3 and 2 seats respectively taking the total tally to 21 seats.
