“Our flags may be different but we have a common agenda, which is the welfare of people,” Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu said here at a massive gathering on Sunday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance.
Mr. Naidu was referring to his party’s alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP). Addressing a ‘Praja Galam’ gathering at Boppudi village, Mr. Naidu said that there was “no longer any doubt that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was going to form the government, both at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh”.
This was the first time that Mr. Naidu and Mr. Modi shared the dais after many years.
Welcoming Mr. Modi to Andhra Pradesh “on behalf of its five crore people”, the TDP supremo said that the meeting was being held to symbolically lay the platform for reconstruction of the State, and to see that the dreams of the people of the State are realised. Stating that the TDP, Jana Sena Party (JSP) and the BJP have joined hands to take the State forward, Mr. Naidu said the poll verdict that they would hand out in the coming election would decide the future of Andhra Pradesh.
Seeking the blessings of the voters for the NDA, he said that Mr. Modi is not merely an individual, but a force who is transforming India into a global power. “Mr Modi is a leader whose services are praised by almost all countries. Schemes like Awas Yojana, Ujwal Yojana and Kisan Samman have given a totally new definition for welfare,” he said.
Showering praise on JSP chief K. Pawan Kalyan, Mr. Naidu thanked him for his support and remarked that Mr. Pawan yearned for people’s progress. Observing that Mr. Modi wants to build a poverty-free nation, Mr. Naidu appealed to the people to join hands with him in this endeavour. He felt that this is the right time for ‘Viksit Bharat’ and said the whole nation, including the State, should stand by Mr Modi to achieve this.
“Mr. Modi has taken the country to a very high position in the world. Soon, India will be the No. 3 country in the world in terms of development. We will be in a commanding position to dictate to even countries like China and the United States,” Mr. Naidu felt.
Maintaining that the State has been facing several problems after bifurcation, Mr. Naidu said: “We were able to overcome certain issues but with Mr. Jagan in power in the past five years, the State has only moved backward.”
“Under the TDP regime, the foundation was laid for Amaravati and several educational institutions with global standards were also established. Almost 72% of work on the Polavaram project was also done. Had these been completed, the State would have progressed well and would have reached number one position in the country,” Mr. Naidu said.
Accusing Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of “looting all the natural resources of the State and turning it into a ganja hub”, the former Chief Minister said that the condition of the State is now so poor that there are no roads in many areas. “Industrialists have been chased out and unemployment is very high in the State and the people have lost mental peace,” he said.
“Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy has polluted politics by filing false cases against several leaders. His own sisters are asking the people not to vote for him,” Mr. Naidu alleged, appealing to the people to come forward and support the NDA “as it can alone save the State.”
Expressing confidence that the NDA would win 400-plus seats in the country in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Naidu appealed to the people to ensure that the alliance wins all 25 seats in the State. “We will take the responsibility of reconstructing the State,” Mr. Naidu added.
Showering praises on Mr. Modi, Mr. Naidu said that the demonetisation decision greatly benefited the country, and said the time is ripe to realise Mr. Modi’s vision of a poverty-free India and a ‘Viksit Andhra Pradesh’.
Published - March 17, 2024 09:55 pm IST
