Born on July, 1949 in Nellore district (then Madras, now Andhra Pradesh), Venkaiah Naidu goes against the grain of those who always claimed that the BJP was a Hindi heat-belt party.
The former Union Minister and current VP actually had doubts about joining the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJP’s predecessor) because a Congress leader told him BJP won’t take a South Indian who eats meat. However, the local Jan Sangha leader Somaiah assured him that there was no ban on eating non-veg, and it was the paucity of funds which made many of them vegetarians.
Since then, Naidu wore the non-veg tag with pride even saying memorably that he was a ‘pucca non-vegetarian’ but that didn’t mean one should celebrate eating beef.
The VP, who was an ABVP member who was imprisoned during the Emergency was elected as MLA in 1978. From a humble agricultural background, the former BJP president is known for his catchy acronyms where even PM Modi can’t compete with him.
Here are some of his most catchy creations:
APJ Abdul Kalam: Anything is Possible with Just Attitude and Karma
MODI: Maker of Developed India
And Modifier of Developed India
EVM: Every Vote Modi (To critics of EVMS)
YOUNG: You Owe U and Nation Greatness
INDIA: Integrated National Development Impacting All Indians.
4 Cs – Character, Calibre, Capacity and Conduct
Memorably, Rajya Saba MP Derek O’Brien welcomed Venkaiah Naidu as Chairman of Rajya Sabha with memorably suitable acronym: “NAIDU: Now All India’s Dearest Umpire. Congress leader Anand Sharma said it was important that both sides are treated justly.”
