N. Chandrababu Naidu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids N. Chandrababu Naidu
Naidu in 2024
13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 June 2024
Governor	Syed Abdul Nazeer
Deputy	Pawan Kalyan
Cabinet	Naidu IV
Preceded by	Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
Additional ministries Incumbent Assumed office 12 June 2024 Ministry and Departments General Administration Law & Order Public Enterprises Other departments not allocated to any Minister Preceded by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
In office 8 June 2014 – 29 May 2019
Governor	E. S. L. Narasimhan
Deputy	Nimmakayala Chinarajappa K. E. Krishnamurthy
Cabinet	Naidu III
Preceded by	Kiran Kumar Reddy
Succeeded by	Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
Additional ministries In office 8 June 2014 – 29 May 2019 Ministry and Departments Investment Infrastructure Happiness Index General Administration Other departments not allocated to any Minister Succeeded by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
In office 1 September 1995 – 13 May 2004
Governor	Krishan Kant Gopala Ramanujam C. Rangarajan Surjit Singh Barnala
Cabinet	Naidu I Naidu II
Preceded by	N. T. Rama Rao
Succeeded by	Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
Additional ministries In office 1 September 1995 – 13 May 2004 Ministry and Departments Investment Infrastructure General Administration Other departments not allocated to any Minister Succeeded by Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
13th Leader of the Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
In office 13 June 2019 – 5 June 2024
Governor	E. S. L. Narasimhan Biswabhusan Harichandan S. Abdul Nazeer
Chief Minister	Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
Preceded by	Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
Succeeded by	Vacant
In office 2 June 2004 – 28 February 2014
Governor	Sushilkumar Shinde Rameshwar Thakur N. D. Tiwari E. S. L. Narasimhan
Chief Minister	Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy Konijeti Rosaiah N. Kiran Kumar Reddy
Preceded by	Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
Succeeded by	Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
1st National President of Telugu Desam Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 May 2015
National General Secretary	Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu Nara Lokesh
Preceded by	Position established
2nd President of Telugu Desam Party
In office 1 September 1995 – 29 May 2015
General Secretary	Alimineti Madhava Reddy (1995-2000) Tulla Devender Goud (2000-2008) Kadiyam Srihari (2008-2013) Ravula Chandra Sekar Reddy (2013-2015)
Preceded by	N. T. Rama Rao
Succeeded by	position abolished
Minister of Revenue, Relief, Rehabilitation, Finance, Planning, Small Savings and Lotteries, Government of Andhra Pradesh
In office 12 December 1994 – 1 September 1995
Governor	Krishan Kant
Chief Minister	N. T. Rama Rao
Succeeded by	Ashok Gajapathi Raju
Minister of Cinematography, Technical Education, Minor irrigation, Diary and Animal Husbandary, Government of Andhra Pradesh
In office 1980–1982
Governor	K. C. Abraham
Chief Minister	T. Anjaiah Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy
Member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 1989
Preceded by	N. Rangaswami Naidu
Constituency	Kuppam
In office 1978–1983
Preceded by	constituency established
Succeeded by	Medasani Venkatarma Naidu
Constituency	Chandragiri
Personal details
Born	Nara Chandra Babu Naidu (1950-04-20) 20 April 1950 (age 75) Naravaripalle, Madras State, India (present-day Andhra Pradesh)
Political party	Telugu Desam Party (since 1983)
Other political affiliations	Indian National Congress (1975–1983)
Spouse	Nara Bhuvaneswari ​ (m. 1981)​
Children	Nara Lokesh (son)
Relatives	See Nandamuri–Nara family
Residences	Undavalli, Vijayawada 1, Janpath, New Delhi
Alma mater	Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati (M.A.)
Positions Held 1975–1977: Local Youth President, INC 1978–83: Member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Chandragiri constituency 1980–83: Cabinet Minister of Andhra Pradesh 1985–94: General Secretary of Telugu Desam Party since 1989: Member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kuppam constituency 1994–95: Finance and Revenue Minister of Andhra Pradesh 1999–2004: Convener of National Democratic Alliance 1995–2004: 13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh 1995–2014: 2nd President of the Telugu Desam Party 2004–2014: 8th Leader of Opposition of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly 2014–present: 1st National President of the Telugu Desam Party 2014–19: 13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh 2014–18: Convener Of National Democratic Alliance 2019–24: 8th Leader of Opposition of the Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Assembly 2024–tba: Convener of National Democratic Alliance 2024–present: 13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh

Nara Chandrababu Naidu (born 20 April 1950), often called CBN, is an Indian politician. He is currently the 13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He has served as Chief Minister for the longest time in the history of the Telugu states. He is also the national president of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

In 1978, he was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly with the Indian National Congress party. From 1980 to 1982, he worked as a minister in the state government. Later, he joined the TDP, a party started by his father-in-law N. T. Rama Rao. Naidu was a MLA for TDP from 1989 to 1995. In 1995, he became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

During his first two terms as Chief Minister, Naidu was known for his focus on economic improvements. He also promoted growth in information technology. His ideas brought new investments, especially to Hyderabad, where he helped create HITEC City. He also played a role in national politics. He supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) after the 1999 elections. In 2014, Naidu became Chief Minister again for the state of Andhra Pradesh, after it was divided.

In the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, his party did not win many seats. In September 2023, Naidu was taken into custody by the police in Andhra Pradesh. This was related to a case about skills development. He was later released on bail in November 2023. In the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the TDP won by a large margin. Naidu then became Chief Minister for the fourth time.

Early Life and Education

Naidu was born on 20 April 1950. He grew up in a farming family in Naravaripalle, Tirupati district, in what is now Andhra Pradesh. His parents were Nara Kharjura Naidu and Amanamma. He has a younger brother and two younger sisters. Naidu has vitiligo, a condition that causes white patches on the skin.

Since his village did not have a school, Naidu went to primary school in Seshapuram. He finished high school in Chandragiri. In 1972, he earned his B.A. degree from Sri Venkateswara Arts College, Tirupati. He later got his master's degree in economics from Sri Venkateswara University. He started working on his Ph.D. in 1974 but did not finish it.

Political Journey

Starting with Indian National Congress

Naidu began his political journey as a student leader at Sri Venkateswara University. In 1975, he joined the Indian Youth Congress. He became the president of its local group in Pulicherla. After a national emergency was declared in 1975, he supported Sanjay Gandhi.

With help from N. G. Ranga, Naidu became a candidate for the Congress party. He was elected as a MLA for the Chandragiri area in the 1978 elections. He first worked as a director for a state industry group. Later, he became a minister in T. Anjaiah's government. From 1980 to 1983, Naidu held different roles, including minister for films and education. He was the youngest MLA at 28 and a minister at 30 in Andhra Pradesh at that time.

As the minister for films, Naidu met N. T. Rama Rao, a famous film star. In September 1981, Naidu married Bhuvaneswari, who was Rao's second daughter.

Joining Telugu Desam Party

In 1982, N. T. Rama Rao started the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). In the 1983 elections, TDP won many seats in Andhra Pradesh. Chandrababu Naidu, who was Rao's son-in-law, stayed with the Congress Party. However, he lost the election in his area to a TDP candidate. Soon after, he joined the Telugu Desam Party.

Naidu became very active in the party. He helped organize training and put membership records on computers. He played a key role during a government crisis in 1984. In 1986, NTR made Naidu the general secretary of the TDP.

As a Legislator (1989–1994)

In the 1989 election, Naidu ran for TDP in the Kuppam area and won. However, the Congress Party won the state election, so Naidu was part of the opposition. Rama Rao made him a coordinator for the TDP. In this role, he managed the party's work as the main opposition in the assembly. His efforts during this time helped the party succeed later on.

Naidu won the 1994 elections from the Kuppam area again. He became the Finance and Revenue Minister in N. T. Rama Rao's government.

First Term as Chief Minister (1995–1999)

On 1 September 1995, Naidu became the Chief Minister at age 45. This happened after a change in leadership within the party. Many lawmakers supported Naidu. He then became the leader of the party.

Second Term as Chief Minister (1999–2004)

Naidu speaking with workers in a textile factory

In the 1999 state elections, Chandrababu Naidu led his party to victory. They won 180 out of 294 seats in the state assembly. The TDP also won 29 out of 42 seats in the national Parliament. This made TDP a very important ally for the BJP. These elections showed Naidu's strong position as Chief Minister and party president. After winning, the media called him a leader who brought economic changes and won strong public support.

Surviving an Attack

On 1 October 2003, Naidu survived an attack near the Alipiri tollgate in Tirupati. His group was attacked while on the way to Tirumala for a yearly event. Several hidden devices exploded. Naidu was the first Chief Minister in India to be targeted in such a way. He escaped with only minor injuries, which was seen as very lucky. The group that attacked him said it was because they saw him as a "World Bank agent."

Role in National Politics

From 1996 to 2004, Chandrababu Naidu played a big part in national politics. After the 1996 national elections, he became the leader of the United Front. This was a group of 13 political parties that formed the government.

Later, Naidu's importance grew after the 1999 national elections. The TDP and BJP worked together and won many seats. The TDP supported the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. TDP did not join the government directly but offered support from outside. Naidu said that even though he was offered many positions, his party chose to support the government without joining it.

Leader of the Opposition (2004–2014)

After the attack on him, Naidu decided to hold state elections early in April 2004. The TDP government faced challenges due to high electricity prices and less support for farmers. Also, a new alliance between Congress and TRS made it harder for TDP to win. The Telugu Desam Party lost both the state and national elections. The Congress Party won many more seats than TDP. Naidu believed that a severe drought and holding elections early were main reasons for his party's loss.

In the 2009 state and national elections, Naidu faced another challenge. A popular actor, Chiranjeevi, started a new party, making it a three-way contest. The TDP, which allied with TRS this time, again lost to the Congress Party. TDP won 92 seats, while Congress won 156. Chiranjeevi's party won 18 seats. Naidu felt that Chiranjeevi's entry into politics caused his party's defeat.

Third Term as Chief Minister (2014–2019)

After Andhra Pradesh was divided in 2014, elections were held in the new states. Naidu formed an alliance with the BJP and Jana Sena Party. He returned to power in the new Andhra Pradesh state, winning 102 out of 175 seats. The TDP also won 16 national Parliament seats. Naidu took his oath as the first Chief Minister of the new Andhra Pradesh state. His party joined the NDA government at the national level.

The Chief Minister faced many challenges in the new state. Andhra Pradesh did not have a capital city or a major economic center. Naidu started building a new capital city called Amaravati. During his term, the state ranked high in business ease. Many large companies like Kia Motors and Pepsi came to the state.

Allegations and Investigations

Naidu's name came up in a case about alleged attempts to influence votes in 2015. This happened during elections for the Telangana Legislative Council. Some leaders from the TDP in Telangana were seen in videos, which were shown in the media. They were accused of offering money to a lawmaker for his vote. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said they had a phone call recording between the lawmaker and N. Chandrababu Naidu. Some political parties asked for Naidu to be named in the case. However, the ACB and later another agency did not name Naidu as an accused. They said they did not find enough proof that money was sent at his direction.

Leaving the BJP Alliance

In March 2018, the TDP pulled its two ministers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. This was because of the issue of special status for Andhra Pradesh. This special status had been promised when the state was divided. Naidu then announced that TDP was leaving the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He said this was because of "injustice" to Andhra Pradesh by not giving it special status.

Earlier, in 2016, Naidu had agreed to a financial package for Andhra Pradesh instead of special status. So, the TDP's decision to leave the NDA was seen as a political move. It was a response to growing criticism from other parties about the special status not being given. Naidu also held a hunger strike in Delhi to protest. This event showed a big change in the relationship between TDP and BJP.

Alliance with the Congress Party

In a surprising move, the TDP teamed up with the Congress Party for the 2018 Telangana state elections. This alliance aimed to defeat the TRS party. This was the first time TDP, which was founded against the Congress, joined forces with them. Naidu was trying to create a group of regional parties with Congress support for the upcoming national elections. However, this plan did not work well in the Telangana elections. The TRS party won by a large margin. As a result, TDP and Congress ended their alliance for the 2019 Andhra Pradesh state elections. This alliance and its outcome made things difficult for Naidu. It affected his public trust because of the changes in his alliances.

Chandrababu Naidu during rescue operations after Cyclone Hudhud in Visakhapatnam

2019 Elections

In the 2019 state and national elections, the ruling TDP lost to the YSR Congress Party. The YSRCP won a huge victory, securing 151 out of 175 seats in the state assembly. The TDP only won 23 seats. In the national Parliament, TDP won three seats, while YSRCP won 22.

Legal Challenges and Return to Power

On 9 September 2023, Naidu was taken into custody by the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (AP-CID). This was related to accusations of misusing public money. On 10 September 2023, a court ordered him to be held for 14 days. He was then moved to a jail. After being held for 52 days, he was released on bail on 31 October 2023.

Fourth Term as Chief Minister (2024–present)

Naidu became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for the fourth time on 12 June 2024. This is a record, as he has served more terms than N. T. Rama Rao. The TDP, allied with the BJP and JSP, won the 2024 state election by a large margin. They won 164 out of 175 seats.

He has promised to bring back Amaravati as the only capital of Andhra Pradesh. He said he would rebuild the capital as soon as possible. Mr. Naidu also said he would ask the national government for help to rebuild Amaravati. The national government had already given some money for Amaravati.

Business Ventures

Heritage Foods Limited (HFL), a dairy company, was started by Naidu in 1992. The company became public in 1994. In 2021–22, Heritage Foods had a yearly income of over 26 billion Indian Rupees. Currently, Nara Bhuvaneswari, Naidu's wife, is the vice-chairperson and managing director. Nara Brahmani, Naidu's daughter-in-law, is the executive director. Heritage has many stores in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It also has a presence in other states. The company also has solar and wind power plants. Heritage Foods is a big part of Naidu's current wealth.

Community Initiatives

Global Forum for Sustainable Transformation

Chandrababu Naidu is the chairman of the Global Forum for Sustainable Transformation (GFST). He started this organization in March 2020 in Hyderabad. It is a global non-profit group that aims to help economies and communities become more sustainable. In June 2023, GFST held a meeting about 'Deep Technologies' in Hyderabad. One of its projects is to create a plan called Vision India@2047. This plan looks ahead to India's 100th year of Independence. Naidu shared a document about India@2047 on 15 August 2023.

NTR Trust

The NTR Memorial Trust was started by Chandrababu Naidu in 1997. It is a non-profit organization. The Trust does many good things, like providing free education and blood donation facilities. It also holds health camps and supports programs to help people improve their lives. The Trust runs a blood bank and a center for a blood disorder called Thalassemia in Hyderabad. It also has blood banks in Visakhapatnam and Tirupati. Additionally, it operates schools in Hyderabad and Challapalli, and a college for women in Hyderabad. Naidu's wife, Nara Bhuvaneswari, manages the Trust's daily work.

Bill Gates with Chandrababu Naidu in Visakhapatnam

Awards and Recognition

Naidu has received many awards for his work. These include "IT Indian of the Millennium" from India Today magazine. He was also named "Business Person of the Year" by The Economic Times. Time Asia called him "South Asian of the Year" in 1999. He also received the Golden Peacock Award for leadership in public service. He was part of the World Economic Forum's Dream Cabinet.

Naidu led the National IT Panel under the National Democratic Alliance (India) (NDA) government. Profit magazine (from Oracle Corporation) called him one of the "hidden seven" people doing amazing things in the world. In 2000, he was offered an honorary professorship by the Kellogg School of Management in the US. In 2003, he led a national task force on micro-irrigation for the Indian government. In 2016, he led a committee of Chief Ministers to promote digital payments in India.

• In 1998, the Governor of Illinois, Jim Edgar, created a Naidu day on 24 September in his honor.
• He was voted IT Indian of the Millennium in a poll by India Today.
• Time magazine named him South Asian of the Year in 1999.
• In 2001, Profit magazine, published by Oracle Corporation, described him as one of the hidden "Seven working wonders around the world".
• He was named Business Person of the Year by Economic Times.
• He received the Golden Peacock Award for Leadership in Public Service & Economic Transformation in 2017.
• He won the Global Agriculture Policy Leadership Award from the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA).
• In 2016, he received the Aadarsh Mukhyamantri Puraskar (Model CM Award).
• He was given the Transformative Chief Minister Award in May 2017 by the US-India Business Council.

In Popular Culture

• Rana Daggubati played him in the films NTR: Kathanayakudu (2019) and NTR: Mahanayakudu (2019).
• Sritej played him in the film Lakshmi's NTR (2019).

Election History

Election results

Year	Office	Constituency	Party		Votes	%	Opponent	Party		Votes	%	Result	Ref
1978	MLA	Chandragiri	Indian National Congress		35,092	44.23	Kongara Pattabhi Rama Chowdary	Janata Party		32,598	41.08	Won
1983					32,581	38.76	Medasani Venkatarama Naidu	Telugu Desam Party		50,010	59.49	Lost
1989		Kuppam	Telugu Desam Party		50,098	52.65	B. R. Doraswamy Naidu	Indian National Congress		43,180	45.38	Won
1994					81,210	75.49	R. Gopinath			24,622	22.89	Won
1999					93,288	74.42	M. Subramanyam Reddy			27,601	22.02	Won
2004					98,123	69.93				38,535	27.46	Won
2009					89,952	61.91				43,886	30.21	Won
2014					102,952	62.59	K. Chandramouli	YSR Congress Party		55,831	33.94	Won
2019					100,146	55.18				69,424	38.25	Won
2024					121,929	59.96	K. R. J. Bharath			73,923	36.35	Won

Images for kids

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  Naidu in 2024

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  Naidu speaking with workers in a textile factory

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  Chandrababu Naidu during rescue operations after Cyclone Hudhud in Visakhapatnam

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  Bill Gates with Chandrababu Naidu in Visakhapatnam