Chandrababu Naidu to keep off ‘babudom’, focus on political, not bureaucratic governance

Hyderabad: Signalling a marked departure from his previous stint as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said he would run his government on political lines rather than follow bureaucratic terms.

"It will now be political governance in the state and not bureaucratic governance. We don't want bureaucratic governance. We are in a democracy and, hence, we are accountable to the people," the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said.

Addressing a workshop of Telugu Desam Party's elected public representatives at the party headquarters here, Naidu said political governance was the need of the hour as the state was left with a host of problems (due to bifurcation).

"Bureaucratic governance is one which is run by Chief Secretary, Secretaries, Collectors, IAS and IPS officers. We don't want that. At the end of five years we have to go to the people again and seek their mandate. We are accountable to the people. So, I will give political governance to the state," he said.

Naidu, in his previous stint as Chief Minister between 1995 and 2004, used to be called the state's "Chief Executive Officer" for his style of functioning, as he gave bureaucrats a larger say and also depended largely on them in administrative matters.

Being in opposition for 10-long years might have triggered a change in his approach and, hence, in his renewed innings as Chief Minister now, Naidu was apparently shifting gear to be "politically correct", senior TDP leaders said.