Nara Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu pronunciation: [ˈnɑːrɑː ˈtʃʌnˌdrɑː ˈbɑːbuː ˈnaɪduː]; born 20 April 1950), commonly known as CBN, is an Indian politician who is currently serving as the 13th Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

In 1978, he was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Indian National Congress party, and from 1980 to 1982, he served as a minister in the state cabinet.

In the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, Naidu's party faced an electoral setback, with TDP winning only 23 out of 175 seats.

[8] In the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the TDP returned to power once again in a landslide topling the incumbent YSRCP government and Naidu became Chief Minister for the fourth time.

Between 1980 and 1983, Naidu held various portfolios, including archives, cinematography, technical education, and minor irrigation in the state government.

[19] In 1982, N. T. Rama Rao, formed the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and swept the Andhra Pradesh assembly polls held in 1983.

[29] These elections marked a critical juncture for Naidu, as they served as a significant test of his legitimacy both as the Chief Minister of the state and as the President of the TDP.

[30] On 1 October 2003, Naidu survived a land mine blast by the People's War Group (PWG) near Alipiri tollgate in Tirupati.

[31][32] The Chief Minister's convoy was attacked on his way to Tirumala to participate in the annual ritual of Brahmotsavam of Lord Venkateswara atop the seven hills.

[35] In the aftermath of the 1996 parliamentary elections, he assumed the role of convenor for the United Front, a coalition comprising 13 political parties that secured power at the Centre.

Naidu felt that the severe drought that gripped Andhra Pradesh the previous year as well as advancing the timing of the election were the major reasons for his defeat.

Naidu took oath as the first Chief Minister of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh at Mangalagiri on the grounds of Acharya Nagarjuna University near Guntur.

The newly born state of Andhra Pradesh was left without a capital city and was deprived of a major economic hub.

Naidu's name figured in the cash-for-vote scandal which pertains to the alleged role of the TDP to buy votes in the 2015 Telangana Legislative Council elections.

It started off when the TDP leaders of Telangana state were caught on video footage, aired in the media, allegedly offering bribes to a nominated MLA, Elvis Stephenson, for his vote in the 2015 Council elections.

[48] Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) claimed that it was in possession of a recorded telephonic conversation that purportedly took place between Elvis Stephenson and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, who was the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.

[53] Subsequently, Naidu announced the TDP's departure from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) due to the "injustice" inflicted upon Andhra Pradesh by the denial of SCS.

[54] In 2016, Naidu had previously agreed to the announcement made by the then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley regarding a financial package for Andhra Pradesh instead of granting it special status.

[55] In this backdrop, the decision of the ruling TDP to withdraw from the NDA was perceived as a political response to the mounting criticism from the Opposition regarding the non-fulfilment of the special category status.

[56] Naidu further criticised the central government on the issue by staging a hunger strike, known as 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long 'protest for justice'), in Delhi.

During this period, Naidu was advocating for a non-BJP coalition comprising regional parties with the support of Congress to make a significant impact in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

[62] In the 2019 assembly and parliamentary elections, the ruling TDP was decisively defeated by the YSR Congress Party led by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

[citation needed] On 9 September 2023, Naidu was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (AP-CID), accused of misappropriation of public funds amounting to 371 crore INR.

[67] Naidu was sworn in as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh for a record fourth term, surpassing N. T. Rama Rao who had served as the chief minister of the state for three terms, on 12 June 2024 after the TDP in alliance with the BJP and the JSP won the 2024 state legislative assembly election in a landslide, garnering 164 out of 175 seats and defeating the YSR Congress Party led by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

[69] Chandrababu Naidu serves as the chairman and director of the Global Forum for Sustainable Transformation (GFST), an organisation he established in March 2020 in Hyderabad.

The Trust is involved in a variety of activities including initiatives like providing free education, offering blood transfusion facilities, conducting health camps, and supporting empowerment and livelihood programs.

[74] Naidu attracted criticism for allegedly prioritising information technology over the agriculture sector, which was a vital source of livelihood for a significant portion of the state's workforce.

[75] While the corporate industry hailed him as the "CEO of Andhra Pradesh Inc.," a substantial portion of the state's population perceived him as "anti-poor", which reflected in the loss of the 2004 elections.

[82] He is credited with commissioning HITEC City,[83] and Genome Valley in 1998 by the erstwhile combined Government of Andhra Pradesh, adjoining Cyberabad to the west of Hyderabad, propelling the information technology industry and enhancing modern infrastructure in Hyderabad, including the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and the Indian School of Business (ISB).

[97][98] He was the head of 13-member Committee of Chief Ministers to promote digital payment systems and financial inclusion in India which was constituted by federal government in 2016.