A year after he told his supporters in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) that the job of Union Civil Aviation Minister was not going to be easy and that “he was ready to face the challenges”, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu is at the forefront of dealing with an almost unprecedented crisis in the country’s recent aviation history.
The youngest Union Minister in the Narendra Modi government and three-time Srikakulam MP, who was once praised by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for his passionate defence of women’s rights, has been at the centre of national attention since last week as he deals with the fallout of the crisis triggered by the large-scale cancellation of IndiGo flights. On Tuesday, Naidu met with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers in Delhi to discuss the stabilisation measures that the airline had taken.
Just ahead of his swearing-in last year, Naidu told his supporters in his hometown of Srikakulam, “I am sure it is not an easy job but I am ready to face the challenges it throws up. I am ready to learn. Shifting from a corporate job to a high position in the country’s government is a bit overwhelming.”
Naidu joined the TDP in 2012 days after his father and former MP K Yerran Naidu died in a car accident. Two years later, he won his first Lok Sabha election from Srikakulam at the age of 27 and has retained it ever since. He was one of the TDP’s three MPs to win in 2019 amid the sweep by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which won 23 of the state’s 25 Lok Sabha seats.
The minister is seen as extremely close to TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, with party insiders referring to him as “the CM’s eyes and ears in Delhi”. “The CM’s instructions to party MPs on which issues to raise and which ministry to approach for pending works depend on Ram Mohan Naidu’s inputs. He has a cool head, astute political acumen, an analytical mind, and an organised and systematic approach. His inputs are valued by the party leadership and he is seen as one of the most loyal leaders to Babu (Chandrababu Naidu) like his father,” a TDP insider said.
Ram Mohan Naidu’s uncle K Atchannaidu is a former TDP state president and currently serves as a minister in the Andhra Pradesh government.
Since his entry into politics, Ram Mohan Naidu has stressed how he wants to carry forward the welfare work his father had started. “People have given me the opportunity to serve them for the third time. I want to take the good schemes and policies of the TDP to the people. People say I am the youngest Union minister but I want to see more youngsters in politics,” he said recently. In line with this, the minister has initiated an internship programme, “Politics for Impact”, in his constituency through which he provides an opportunity for youth to participate in politics and expose them to various aspects of governance.
Along with Andhra Minister and Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh, Ram Mohan Naidu is considered to have played a key role in rallying support in Delhi for the CM following his arrest on September 9, 2023, in an alleged skill development scam.
“The two leaders, who navigated various political corridors, played a pivotal role in Delhi (during the crisis) and their combined efforts were instrumental in seeking support and solidarity from key leaders of various national and regional parties. Chandrababu Naidu entrusts Ram Mohan Naidu to accompany him on all his Delhi visits, highlighting the significance of their partnership in navigating the intricacies of national politics,” said a party insider.
As Union minister, Ram Mohan Naidu also dealt with the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, firmly standing behind the findings of the investigation report after sections of foreign media tried to punch holes in it.
In Parliament too, Ram Mohan Naidu has been active. His decision to go on paternity leave during the 2021 Budget Session renewed the discussion on gender rights. He is one of the first MPs to voice support for menstrual health and sex education and has been a vocal supporter of GST-free sanitary pads. On Monday, even as YSRCP leaders in Andhra Pradesh attempted to single him out and demanded his resignation, the minister addressed the Rajya Sabha on the IndiGo crisis, saying, the ongoing IndiGo crisis stemmed from the airline’s “crew rostering and internal planning” failures, stressing that the issue was operational and not caused by any regulatory changes.
Seen as a strong advocate of women’s rights, his powerful speech during a discussion on the Disha rape case in Hyderabad, where he firmly advocated the “no means no’’ stand, earned him praise from Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.