Naidu praised the prime minister for respecting his allies views. “He is a strong leader, modern and progressive in outlook. You see, after the swearing- ceremony, we were told we could go. Then we were informed he will meet all NDA chief ministers . Then he conducted four hours of uninterrupted meeting.”

The veteran politician said in his earlier years as a politician, he primarily focused on governance and policies, but realised that it was also necessary to reach out to people more directly, something which he imbibed from Modi. “That is what he [Modi] is doing. He [Modi] is carrying people with him. You have to carry the people with you.”

Asked about what it felt like to be part of the ruling coalition under Modi, the TDP leader said the prime minister listened to everybody. “That is the leadership he has provided.”

Naidu’s TDP has played a crucial role in national politics, having been previously part of the United Front government, a 13-party formation that came to power after the fractious 1996 general elections. The alliance formed two governments between 1996 and 1998. Naidu served as the convener of the political formation.

Naidu, a four-term chief minister, is known for ushering in an information-technology revolution in his state by adopting policies to promote the sector in the 2000s, giving the country an early advantage.