For the first time after assuming charge as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in the aftermath of 2024 assembly elections, TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu is all set to visit New Delhi ahead of the crucial budget sessions in the coming days. Naidu will take off from Gannavaram airport in Vijayawada on Wednesday evening in a special flight at 17:10 hrs and will land in Delhi at 19:25.
As per reports, Naidu will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to discuss about various issues relating to the state. He will later call on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, Home Minster Amit Shah and other key cabinet ministers like Nithin Gadkari and JP Nadda. As this is the first official meeting after the formation of new governments both at the centre and the state, there are a lot of expectations on Naidu to seal a deal on some of the key issues that will play a significant role in the development of Andhra Pradesh for the next five years.
Issues like Polavaram project, AP Reorganization Act, special financial assistance, incentives to industries, and other key aspects are likely to come up for discussion between Naidu and the top brass of the centre during this visit.
As Telugu Desam Party is one of the key coalition partners in the NDA alliance at the centre and also because of the fact that Naidu played the role of game changer in bringing back Modi to power despite the BJP falling short of the required majority, the central government is likely to pay heed to the needs of Andhra Pradesh this time unlike previous tenures when it secured absolute majority in the parliament.
Meanwhile, there is a lot of pressure of both Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan to demand special status and allotment of funds for completion of Polavaram project. Besides these important issues, people of Andhra Pradesh are hoping that a railway zone will be allotted to the state and also the Bhogapuram airport will also be completed in quick time. Privatization of Vizag steel plant is another sensitive issue that will be discussed in the media after Naidu’s visit to Delhi concludes.
As all eyes are on how Naidu coerces the Modi government to fulfill some of these demands, this meeting will assume greater significance. We have to wait and see what is the outcome of this crucial meeting.