New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and key NDA ally Chandrababu Naidu will be camping in Delhi over the next two days to solicit financial aid for the Telugu state from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers.
"Since the CM gave a free hand to the PM in the selection of the Lok Sabha Speaker and ministers, it is but obvious that he will be expecting a quid pro quo in terms of Centre’s assistance for the state," a source in the Telugu Desam Party said.
With 16 Lok Sabha MPs, Naidu’s TDP is now the second largest constituent of the NDA.
With two minister’s in the Union council of ministers, his party provides crucial support to the Modi government.
During his Delhi sojourn, Naidu is slated to meet the Prime Minister on Thursday morning and other key ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Naidu’s travel to Delhi is reminiscent of his influence in the Vajpyee government between 1999 to 2004 when as the CM of undivided AP, the TDP chief would make frequent trips to the national capital to demand Central aid for the state.
Earlier this week, Naidu said his government would soon release a white paper on the Polavaram lift irrigation project that had incurred cost overrun due to delay in completion.
The CM has alleged a loss of Rs 70,000 crore to the state exchequer due to "mismanagement and unmindful decisions" of the previous YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Naidu also needs financial aid to complete the construction of the new capital at Amravati.
Published 03 July 2024, 22:50 IST