An alternative front to fight BJP will emerge automatically even without PM face:TDP chief Naidu

Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu said Thursday an opposition alternative to the BJP-led NDA will emerge "automatically" even without its prime ministerial face being declared for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu, a former BJP ally who quit the NDA early this year over the Centre's refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh, also offered to play a "pivotal" role to bring all the opposition parties together to forge an united front.

"An alternative (front) will emerge automatically. People are angry with the Modi government and they will choose an alternative," Naidu, 68, told PTI in an exclusive interview.

Naidu also felt non-selection of a prime ministerial candidate by an opposition front ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls will not hurt its prospects.

" I do not visualise any problem if the PM candidate of the opposition front is not decided before the polls."
Stating that political alliances are not stitched overnight, Naidu said even in the past, pre-poll and post-poll alliances took place in "a different situation and in different times."
"No one could predict a prime ministerial candidate in some past situations."
Asked if he is in the race for the prime ministerial post, Naidu said, "I will never go to the Centre. I have never been an aspirant for any post or for any role at the Centre."
"The situation has never been so bad. The country is in a miserable state now. This government has failed in its duty towards people. They will choose an alternative."
Attacking the government over the poor shape of economy and rising fuel prices, he said, "A message has gone around that the Indian economy has become weak."
Naidu said that on one hand, prices have fallen and you don't purchase at the Minimum Support Price(MSP) while on the other hand hand, untimely import and export policies have aggravated the farmers' crisis. "Therefore, farmers have hit the streets."