Chandrababu Naidu keeps the promise he made in 2021, returns to Andhra assembly after an emotional exit

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu returned to the Andhra Pradesh assembly on Friday, 31 months after an emotional exit. Naidu had vowed in November 2021 to re-enter the assembly only after regaining power, a feat he accomplished with a landslide victory against Jagan Mohan Reddy. 

The TDP won 135 of 175 seats.

Naidu's departure in 2021 was fueled by continuous slurs from YSR Congress members, culminating in comments about his wife. He expressed his pain and vowed not to return unless he became Chief Minister again. "For the last two and a half years, I have been bearing the insults but remained calm. Today, they have targeted even my wife. I was always lived with honour and for honour. I can take it no more," he said.

In the 2019 elections, Naidu faced a significant defeat, with YSR Congress winning 151 seats. His decision to leave the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and align with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) resulted in losses. 

After taking charge, Naidu also promised to release a White paper on the status of Amaravati and elicit suggestions from people on the way forward. Amaravati capital city project came to a standstill from 2019 to 2024 under the previous YSRCP regime.

"After going around Amaravati, I am confused as to what to do. Today, I came for the first time to see where we are and what to do in the future. We will take suggestions from various quarters in the state and all the people should deliberate on this issue," Naidu told reporters.

The Chief Minister inspected several construction projects, such as the residential quarters for officials, legislators, judges and also the stalled high court, secretariat and other construction sites.

The CM noted that up to 80 per cent work on these projects was completed.

According to the CM, had the Amaravati city project gone ahead as planned, the road infrastructure would have come up by now.

Naidu asserted that Amaravati is the address of five crore people of the state and termed it as people's capital which can show direction to all.

Noting that nearly 55,000 acres of land bank is available in Amaravati from all sources, he thanked the farmers for giving up their lands for the state capital.