Chennai, April 22:
Making a strong pitch for a “double-engine government” in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday asserted that accelerated growth, investment inflows and infrastructure expansion could be ensured only if the NDA alliance secures a mandate in the State.
Addressing a press conference alongside Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Naidu said the NDA—led in the State by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)—envisions a “double-engine government” as advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Currently in Chennai as part of his two-day campaign tour for the high-stakes Assembly elections, Naidu emphasised inter-state cooperation and competitive federalism as key drivers of development. He said healthy competition among states, backed by the Centre, was accelerating economic progress across India.
Highlighting the historical ties between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Naidu recalled the Telugu Ganga project initiated during the tenure of late Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao, which supplies drinking water to Chennai. He described the relationship between the two states as “brotherly” and praised Tamil Nadu’s rich legacy, citing luminaries such as saint-poet Thiruvalluvar and former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
Backing the Women’s Reservation Bill, Naidu accused opposition parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress, of misleading the public.
“They did not defeat the Centre; they defeated women,” he remarked, defending the proposed framework.
On delimitation, he dismissed concerns raised by southern parties, stating that the exercise would not reduce parliamentary representation for southern states. Instead, he said, it would increase Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent, with 33 per cent reserved for women, ensuring balanced representation.
Taking a swipe at opposition leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, Naidu questioned their opposition to key reforms and alleged that development had slowed in Tamil Nadu, with migration from cities like Chennai on the rise.
He also raised concerns over law and order, citing increased crimes against women, custodial deaths and drug abuse under the current regime.
Highlighting infrastructure initiatives, Naidu credited the Centre with funding the modernisation of Chennai railway station and approving a high-speed rail corridor connecting Chennai, Bengaluru and Amaravati. He reiterated that a “double-engine government” would deliver “bullet-speed development.”
On investment and employment, he said Andhra Pradesh had attracted nearly 25 per cent of total investments coming into India, with global firms such as Google and ArcelorMittal showing interest. He also noted that global companies were led by leaders of Tamil origin, citing Sundar Pichai, and stressed the need to create more opportunities for youth.
Addressing water-sharing issues, Naidu referred to the Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and said Andhra Pradesh was advancing with the Krishna-Godavari river interlinking project. He added that a Ganga–Cauvery interlinking initiative could ensure long-term water security for all states.
On language policy, he emphasised respect for the mother tongue while encouraging multilingual learning for growth. He accused opposition parties of creating linguistic divisions to oppose the Centre, asserting that the Union government supports education in regional languages.
Commenting on actor-turned-politician Vijay, who is making his electoral debut, Naidu said it was too early to assess his political impact.
Calling for a united approach to governance, Naidu said development leads to wealth creation and welfare, and urged voters to give the AIADMK-led NDA and its allies an opportunity in Tamil Nadu to “restore the growth momentum.”