Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, shared an opinion piece authored by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu marking 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, saying the article elaborates on why Modi 'has been the right leader at the right time for India.'

Context

The article, shared by Goyal under the hashtag #12YearsOfSeva, features Chief Minister Naidu arguing that states have more space to grow under the Modi government. Naidu is quoted as writing that history will remember this period 'not merely for economic growth or political stability, but for something deeper — the restoration of India's confidence in itself.'

Goyal's decision to amplify the piece reflects a broader BJP and NDA effort to mark the occasion with endorsements from allied regional leaders, underscoring the coalition's unity around the cooperative federalism narrative.

Policy Backdrop

The claim that states have gained greater autonomy under Modi rests on a series of structural reforms. In 2015, the Planning Commission was replaced by NITI Aayog, explicitly designed to institutionalise cooperative federalism and bring state governments into national policy formulation.

The same year, the government accepted the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, raising states' share in central taxes from 32% to 42% — the largest-ever single increase in devolution. The rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017 further created the GST Council, giving states an equal voting voice on tax policy decisions.

Successive Finance Commissions have continued to expand untied fiscal transfers, allowing states greater flexibility in spending priorities while maintaining a national framework for key centrally sponsored schemes.

Stakeholders and Impact

Andhra Pradesh occupies a particular position in this narrative. Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) rejoined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2024, making Naidu's endorsement of Modi's governance record both politically significant and symbolically useful for the ruling coalition ahead of any future electoral cycles.

For state governments more broadly, the cooperative federalism framework has meant greater say in planning and resource allocation. Regional allies within the NDA have consistently cited this flexibility as a reason for sustaining the alliance, making such public endorsements a regular feature of coalition management.

The #12YearsOfSeva campaign, amplified by senior ministers like Goyal, is aimed at consolidating this narrative across party and alliance lines, presenting Modi's tenure as a period of structural empowerment for India's states rather than centralisation.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether the upcoming Union Budget includes enhanced flexibility clauses in centrally sponsored schemes or any special assistance packages for Andhra Pradesh, which would give concrete policy weight to the cooperative federalism claims being made in this political moment. The broader #12YearsOfSeva messaging campaign is expected to continue through the week, with further contributions from NDA leaders across states.