TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu is worried about his bleak political future and, thus, has started talking about “alignment with the BJP,” according to BJP Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao.
Speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ session here on Saturday, the BJP leader wondered why would his party, which had been growing from strength to strength, collaborate with a losing player like the TDP, which was “anything but trustworthy.” “Andhra Pradesh now is witnessing family politics and politics of caste. Moving beyond all these factors, the BJP will grow on its own strength,” he said.
Mr. Narasimha Rao said victory of his party in the poll-bound Maharashtra and Haryana was a no-brainer, and that the party would replicate the success model in the Telugu-speaking States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana soon.
“It is my hope and estimation that the BJP victory will happen very soon in Andhra Pradesh. This is because both the main parties here – the TDP and the YSRCP are regional parties, and A.P. has always been a bastion of a national party such as the Congress,” he said.
‘BJP prospects bright’
He said people in A.P. had realised that only a government that had healthy relationship with the Centre would benefit them. “After the TDP and the YSRCP, they want to give the BJP a chance,” he said.
The BJP leader said he had been spending most of his time going around different parts of the State to identify people’s problems and try and find solutions with the help of the Centre.
“In fact, 99% of the issues I raise in Parliament are concerning Andhra Pradesh,” he said, citing examples of the problems of tobacco farmers and palm oil farmers of West Godavari district and the unprecedented drought in the Rayalaseema districts, especially in Anantapur.
“We do not have a single Central institute in districts such as Prakasam and Srikakulam,” he pointed out.
Mr. Narasimha Rao referred to the Central schemes such as ‘Kusum’ and Jal Jeevan Mission, the first envisaging distribution of 35 lakh solar pump- sets to the farmers with 90% subsidy. Under the second scheme, the Centre would invest funds to make drinking water available to every household. “We are trying to secure more funds to Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Pointing to the cut in the corporate tax to boost investments, which in turn would create employment, he admitted that the country was affected by the global negative trend. “Despite the downturn, we are the fastest growing economy,” he claimed.
