Regional party leader could be next PM: Naidu

Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said that leader of a regional political party could become the next prime minister.

Speaking on a topic – Will the States lead the Centre – Naidu said that the nation has witnessed regional parties from the states driving the governments in Delhi earlier also and the trend will continue. “Even in the future it is going to happen,” Naidu said.
 
Presenting the trends in the consecutive Lok Sabhas, where he said that the proportion of the national parties has only been decreasing, Naidu projected that the next Lok Sabha will see further lowering of the seats from both the Congress and the BJP. He said that the regional parties are all equipped to take up the centre stage. “We may be regional parties but we have proved our worth by brining in reforms everywhere.”
 
Naidu even said that single party ruling lead to abuse of power. “Article 356 was mis-utilised by the Centre several times. Even our TDP government was dismissed in 1984 after which we won it back democratically. (As regional parties) we would not allow misuse of these articles.” 
 
But Naidu anyway added that as a cooperative federalism both the Centre and the States should work in tandem for the benefit of the people.
 
Naidu who lost the previous elections (2004) to the Congress said that he had paid price for working for the long term benefits of the State which did not go well with the people.
 
“We will continue with reforms but will take care that the benefits reach the common public also,” Naidu said.
 
Naidu also said that the political economy of the country is shifting with the political leaders in power going to industrialists for investments rather than the businessmen running to the political class.