‘I will keep my word’

N. Chandrababu Naidu, 64, the TD chief who recently concluded his 2,817-km padayatra, now believes he will be chief minister again after the elections.

In an exclusive interview, he told this newspaper that the impact of his padayatra would be felt in the elections. He said the people have lost confidence in the Congress government and are not in a mood to accept Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Mr Naidu is also not perturbed due to TD leaders quitting and joining other parties, He said that the TD cadre is strong enough to take on challenges. You have extensively covered the state during your padayatra, but what is its impact on state politics, or on the Telugu Desam?

The impact will only be in the Assembly elections. You cannot have an impact immediately after any programme. When N.T. Rama Rao went to the people on the Chaitanya Ratham in 1982, the impact was felt only in the 1983 elections. Even in 1994, NTR toured the state but the result were seen only in the elections. I am fully convinced that TD will return to power. As a senior politician and a former CM, you know the problems of the people. Why did you need to go on the padayatra? I already knew their problems, but the situation has worsened under the Congress rule. I thought at least the drinking water crisis would not be there, but I was wrong. Drinking water scarcity is rampant throughout the state. This only indicates how the state government’s poor administration is ruining the villages.

The padayatra helped me remind the people of my clean and efficient administration. People are really fed up of the Congress due to corruption and inefficiency, I don’t think they will take any corrective measures at this stage. What is your assessment of state politics after the seven-month padayatra?

There is total anarchy caused by the politics of the Congress, YSR Congress and the TRS.

I had told you before my padayatra that the people have begun to understand Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s corrupt deals. Now, my observation is that the people fully understand the emotional blackmail of Jagan. People have realised that if Jagan did not do anything wrong, he would not have been in the jail for so long. Why are courts denying him bail? How have the courts taken cognisance of all the corruption allegations lev- elled against him by the CBI? I am sure people are going to teach Jagan a befitting lesson. There is nothing great about YSR’s schemes like Aarogyasri, `2-a-kilo rice or `200 monthly pension. Jagan created hype around these schemes and played with the people’s emotions to win the byelections. The situation has totally changed now.

Another dangerous thing is that Jagan instead of confessing to his corrupt deals, is trying to ask the people which politician is not corrupt, who has not made wealth in politics etc. He is trying justify his wrongdoings. He has even given the impression that he had a tiff with a leader like Mrs Sonia Gandhi. People know this is nonsense. You cannot take the people for granted.

Gali Janardhan Reddy is suffering today, B. Sriramulu will face the same fate tomorrow and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s turn is next. It is only a matter of time, the people are waiting to teach him a lesson.

KCR has become the biggest beneficiary of the Telangana sentiment by way of collecting money. He cannot make any impact in the elections on the Telangana plank. His track record shows that he cannot get seats in the elections. Even the people of Telangana have realised that KCR only used the sentiment for his family’s benefit.

As far as the Congress is concerned, the less said the better. There is no administration, only corruption exists, ministers who have links with Jagan are not sacked. Price rise, power crisis, farmers issues... on every front there is total failure.

I remain the only alternative to the people, and based on my past performance I am confident that the people will take the correct decision this time. My padayatra has made people think about these issues, and created an awareness about my concept of good governance.

I take credit for the second line of reforms. Cellphones, four-lane roads, cyber cities are my creations

You have made umpteen promises, it is difficult to even remember all of them. You talk of good governance and fiscal reforms and at the same time you have promised schemes with heavy subsidies. How do you justify this?

I take credit for the second line of reforms in the country. All these cellphones, four-lane roads, cyber cities are my creations. These things were made possible by governance and providing an administration that was free of corruption. Without taxing the people, I constructed school buildings and area hospitals. Because of my administration, resources were created. More finances came. All my promises will figure in the party election manifesto. Are you saying you will implement all the promises without taxing the people?

Exactly. There is no need to impose fresh taxes. If we improve infrastructure, the systems will generate revenues which will be sufficient to meet the additional expenditure for implementing my promises

For example, Rajasekhar Reddy spent nearly `80,000 crores on Jalayagnam projects, but not a single project is complete. If the same amount was spent on schemes like drip and sprinkler irrigation schemes, one crore acres of additional land would have come under irrigation by this time. How do you visualise the political situation at Centre? Between the UPA and the NDA, which side would you prefer aligning? There is no question of the TD having tie-ups with the UPA and the NDA. Both are spent forces, there is no question of either coming to power at the Centre. They are fast losing their grip in Indian politics. What about Third Front? Where is it? Will it be formed before the polls? Which parties you would like to see in the Third Front?

I cannot say anything on the Third Front now. It is not there, I don’t think it will take shape before the polls. But after the results, the Third Front will be formed with regional parties and that will form the government. How can that be? You don’t know who will be there from which state. I told you, I cannot say it now. One should know that the National Front in 1989 was based on an antiCongress stand. So all Left and right parties came to an understanding. The United Front experience in 1996 was different. Then it was anti-BJP and anticommunal. We even took the help of the Congress to form government then. But after the 2014 polls, it would be a front of regional parties against the UPA and the NDA. There would be a political compulsion to float the Third Front after the polls. The regional parties front is another model for the country and I will play a key role after the polls. Who will be there from Tamil Nadu? Will it be Ms Jayalalithaa or Mr Karunanidhi? In UP, will it be Ms Mayawati or Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav?

I cannot tell you all this now. Time alone will decide the partners Who will be the PM candidate?

There will be several stalwarts in regional parties who have experience in administration and an understanding of national issues that is better than the national parties. Any one of them can be the PM, that is not at all an issue. A leader with a vision for development, someone who is anti-communal, secular and peaceloving could be the PM from the Third Front. How long will you keep Lokesh out of the party and not give him a post?

He is already doing party work. Let him work for the party. Recognition will always follow if one works hard. This applies to all family members. Anyone can join and work for the party. Lokesh is helping me in all respects.