All Eyes on Chandrababu Naidu's Swearing-In as He Seeks to Restore 'Brand AP'

New Delhi: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is set to make a comeback as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for a fourth term on Wednesday. The TDP chief is scheduled to take oath at 11.27 AM near Medha IT Park opposite Gannavaram Airport in Kesarapalli on the outskirts of Vijayawada.The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) secured a victory by winning 135 out of the 175 Assembly seats. Its allies also performed well, with Jana Sena securing 21 seats and the BJP winning 8 seats.

The swearing-in ceremony promises to be a high-profile event, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Union Ministers JP Nadda and Bandi Sanjay Kumar expected to attend. Besides political dignitaries, the event will be graced by South Indian film superstars Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan. Other notable film personalities, including Rajinikanth, Mohan Babu, and Allu Arjun—nephew of Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan—are also expected to be present. If TDP sources are to be believed, invitations have also been extended to farmers who gave their land for the construction of the Amaravati capital project and also some people who were allegedly harassed during the previous YSR Congress regime.  

Committed to Restore 'Brand AP'

Naidu's comeback is seen as a pivotal moment for Andhra Pradesh. With his vision centred on restoring 'Brand AP', he aims to focus on development and progress. With the TDP-led NDA government set to take office in Andhra Pradesh, officials have begun preparatory work in Amaravati, starting with jungle clearance. This effort comes in response to the imminent expiration of the 10-year period during which Hyderabad has served as the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as stipulated by the AP Reorganisation Act of 2014. The development of Amaravati, which covers 217 square kilometres, was a major project initiated by TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2015, soon after he assumed office following the state's bifurcation.

The project faced a setback in 2019 when the YSRCP won the elections and introduced a three-capital plan in December 2019. This proposal designated Visakhapatnam as the executive capital, Amaravati as the legislative capital, and Kurnool as the judicial capital. In March 2022, the Andhra Pradesh High Court mandated the YSRCP government to develop Amaravati as the state capital, a decision currently under challenge in the Supreme Court.  

During his election campaign, Naidu vowed to revive Amaravati's development. TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh reiterated their commitment to the original master plan, aiming to create a self-sustaining city. Although the previous TDP government invested approximately Rs 10,000 crore, several essential infrastructure projects, such as roads, drains, and utilities, were not completed. Naidu intends to prioritize these unfinished projects to attract private investors and developers, ensuring Amaravati's growth and development.

Amaravati - Sole Capital of Andhra Pradesh

Earlier during the day in separate meetings, the Telugu Desam Legislature Party and NDA partners elected Naidu as their leader. Addressing the legislators, Naidu asserted that he is committed to developing Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh. “With all your cooperation, I am swearing in tomorrow (as the CM) and I would like to thank you all for that. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming for the swearing-in ceremony,” Naidu said.

Announcing that he is swearing-in as the CM for the fourth time, Naidu said he asked for the Central Government’s cooperation for the state and said it was "assured" to him.    

Other Leaders Expected to Take Oath With Naidu

Along with Naidu, other leaders are likely to swear in, and they could include Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan and its senior leader N Manohar, Naidu's son Nara Lokesh and TDP Andhra Pradesh leader Atchannaidu. According to NDA sources, Pawan Kalyan has been offered the deputy CM post. NDA partners Janasena and BJP are likely to get five to six berths in the cabinet. As per the strength of the Andhra Pradesh assembly (175), the cabinet can have 26 ministers including the CM.

Naidu's Journey  

Naidu first became the chief minister in 1995 and went on to have another two terms. His first two terms as chief minister were at the helm of united Andhra Pradesh, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2004, nine years at a stretch while the third term came post-bifurcation of the state. In 2014, Naidu emerged as the first chief minister of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh and served it until 2019. He lost the 2019 polls and was the opposition leader until 2024. Following a landslide victory in the 2024 elections, he is returning as the CM for a fourth term.