About

Nara Chandrababu Naidu was born on 20 April 1950 in Naravaripalli, a small village near Tirupati in present-day Andhra Pradesh, into a farming family. He grew up in a modest background and pursued his higher studies at Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1972. He later enrolled in a postgraduate program at the same university but left midway to dedicate himself to politics.

During his student days, Naidu became actively involved in political activities and quickly developed a reputation as a strong youth leader. In 1980, he married Bhuvaneswari, the daughter of Telugu cinema legend and political leader Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), who later founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Naidu and Bhuvaneswari have a son, Nara Lokesh, who is also an active politician and general secretary of the TDP.

Political Career

Naidu began his political journey as a member of the Indian National Congress, where he first rose to prominence as the Youth Congress president in Andhra Pradesh during the Emergency (1975–77). In 1978, at the age of 28, he was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and went on to serve as a state minister between 1980 and 1983.

In 1983, following the landslide victory of the newly formed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by his father-in-law NTR, Naidu lost his re-election bid but soon joined the TDP. His organizational skills and loyalty to NTR helped him rise quickly within the party. By 1985, he was made the General Secretary of the TDP and became one of NTR’s most trusted aides. During the party’s years in opposition (1989–94), Naidu played a crucial role in strengthening the TDP and positioning it for a return to power.

In 1995, Naidu engineered a dramatic political coup within the party, displacing NTR and becoming the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Under his leadership, he modernized governance and placed a strong emphasis on information technology and infrastructure development, turning Hyderabad into a global IT hub. His reform-oriented policies earned him praise both nationally and internationally, and he was often seen as a potential prime ministerial candidate.

Naidu served two consecutive terms as Chief Minister from 1995 to 2004, aligning with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and playing a prominent role in national politics. However, his reforms, which were more urban and technology-focused, alienated sections of rural voters, leading to the TDP’s defeat in the 2004 elections.

After a decade in opposition, Naidu made a comeback in 2014, becoming the first Chief Minister of the newly bifurcated Andhra Pradesh. His government prioritized the development of a new capital, Amaravati, and continued to focus on technology and investment. However, in the 2019 elections, the TDP suffered a major defeat, forcing him to step down once again.

In 2024, Naidu returned to power with a decisive mandate, beginning his fourth term as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. His comeback re-established him as a central figure not only in state politics but also within the NDA coalition at the national level, where he is seen as a key ally and power broker alongside leaders like Nitish Kumar.