Dressed in a crisp, well-ironed yellow shirt, 74-year-old N Chandrababu Naidu, a seasoned coalition politician, visited New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and key Cabinet ministers for the fourth time since assuming office as Chief Minister on June 12 this year. In his first newspaper interview as the 13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Naidu spoke with The Indian Express for over 90 minutes, covering topics from his electoral journey since 1978 to welfare politics, revdi politics, and his ideological differences with the BJP.

You have completed 100 days in office. What are your immediate and long-term priorities?

“My focus is on creating infrastructure and a knowledge economy. Hyderabad is a model of this—IT, biotech, pharma, finance, and human resource development, combined with world-class roads and an airport, which I initiated 25 years ago. These developments brought wealth and employment.

For Andhra Pradesh, I see immense potential in the east coast’s port-led manufacturing and green energy—especially green hydrogen. My earlier reforms in the power sector paved the way for this. We also need to tap into electronics manufacturing, EV production, and agro-processing.

Now, my focus is not just on the ease of doing business but the speed of doing business. Real-time progress is essential. I set time limits, track progress closely, and take feedback from entrepreneurs to ensure accountability. Speed is the need of the hour.

By 2047, I aim to make Andhra Pradesh a premier state with a focus on employment generation and poverty eradication.”

You have held many meetings on a new industrial policy to attract private investment. What are the key elements that will give Andhra an edge over its neighbouring states?

“The key to success is building a strong brand, be it for a leader or a state. Hyderabad is a prime example of how a well-established reputation sustains growth across governments. I’m crafting a clear, forward-looking industrial strategy, emphasizing ease of doing business. Andhra Pradesh has unique strengths, particularly in green energy. With abundant solar and wind resources, and the potential for pumped energy in the Deccan plateau, we are well-positioned for green energy and green hydrogen. These two are a powerful combination. Our seven ports will also allow for significant exports in this sector.

Additionally, we have strengths in horticulture, aquaculture, and food processing, as well as electronics, hardware, pharma, and even the automobile industry. Just as I transformed Hyderabad into a leading city, competing with Bangalore, I’m confident Andhra Pradesh will thrive by leveraging these advantages.”

How critical is land acquisition for your industrial plans? Does the government or industrial corporations already have sufficient land banks, or is there a need for more?

“Sometimes priorities are misunderstood. We need land for both housing and industry, but balance is key. For instance, I acquired significant land for industrial development, but my successor (Jagan) used much of it for house sites. While housing is important, we can’t sacrifice employment opportunities by giving away all the land for homes. Now I have to acquire land for industry.”