Magic moments: Chandrababu gets to meet Modi

NEW DELHI: Finally Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu got to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The occasion was a meet on Azadi ka Amruth Mahotsav to mark the 75th Independence Day of India.

Naidu was invited to the meet as a former Chief Minister. It's said that Modi who walked up to Naidu moved a few steps aside and talked to him.

This was indeed a magic moment for Naidu. While the BJP is fulfilling most requests of AP Chief Minister Y S Jagan, a bête noire of Naidu, the TDP and its friendly media have been campaigning that the BJP has softened its stand towards Naidu.

Finally, this meet is a semblance of some such reunion, though BJP's scheme of things could not be assessed. For, the BJP that's not pinning any hopes on the AP politically as of now will weigh all options before making a final decision on who to ally with.

It's comfortable with Jagan, as he is subservient to the BJP leadership for reasons all too well known.

The BJP lost trust in Naidu as he ditched the party and walked out of NDA twice — once in 2004 and another in 2018, after having derived full advantage of an alliance with the BJP.

Chandrababu Naidu never met Modi after walking out of the National Democratic Alliance in 2018 after having his party colleagues resign from the Cabinet.

Naidu campaigned heavily against Modi and the BJP in 2019 general elections. He had even aligned with the Congress in 2018 and contested in Telangana, winning just two seats.

The 2019 general elections uprooted the TDP lock, stock and barrel and the party realised that the result could be so much hard hitting that it could never consider going it alone.

The TDP has been nursing an intense desire to align with the BJP keeping poll prospects in view.

Whether the BJP leadership would give in or whether it would side with Jagan would be known only at an "appropriate" time.