Taking a dig at the BJP-led NDA government for reneging on its commitments to the State, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed the apprehension that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was looking to settle scores with him by colluding with the YSR Congress Party and the Jana Sena Party.
However, he exuded confidence that no such conspiracy would unsettle him as he enjoyed the people’s support and because he never behaved in a manner that made them suspect his credibility.
Addressing an impressive gathering after ending his 12-hour hunger strike christened ‘Dharma Porata Deeksha’ at IGMC Stadium here on Friday, Mr. Naidu said after the Karnataka Assembly elections, the BJP would use all sorts of tactics to browbeat the State government and the leaders but he would not be cowed down by any such threats.
Mr. Naidu claimed to be the only Chief Minister who openly challenged the authority of the Central government as it blatantly went back on the promises.
In fact, these were not mere promises but things which the Centre was supposed to deliver in compliance with the Reorganisation Act.
The CM said the BJP and the YSRCP have been moving closely since the latter extended unconditional support to the candidature of Ram Nath Kovind as President and it was pretty clear from the happenings in the recent past in New Delhi that YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was subservient to the interests of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
“We have since charted our own course. I have no personal ego to keep other parties at a distance. I staged the protest not as the TDP president but as the Chief Minister representing the five crore population of the State. It is up to the Opposition parties to decide whom they wish to join their hands with,” Mr. Naidu observed and urged the people to be alert to the evil designs of those looking to derive political mileage out of the episode.
Mr. Naidu suspected the timing of JSP president Pawan Kalyan’s protest in Hyderabad over the objectionable remarks made by his critics against his family.
“They could have done it yesterday or tomorrow or the day after. It is very clear that they chose today to divert the public attention from my deeksha,” the CM observed.
He claimed that he would never stoop to such a low level as to get personal attacks made on anyone.
