In a tit-for-tat, N Chandrababu Naidu launches personal attack on PM Modi
Rajahmundry: Being highly critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for denying funding for several development projects like the capital city Amaravati and the Polavaram irrigation, for not according special category status and also for failing to implement various provisions in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu branded him as a cheat and called upon the people to vow to defeat him in the ensuing polls.
Addressing an election rally at Shyamala Centre here on Friday, Mr Naidu expressed anguish over how Mr Modi had targeted him and his family members personally and opined that he had failed to behave in the manner befitting the post that holds. Referring to Mr Modi’s remarks wherein he said that Mr Naidu was anxious to witness the rise of his son Lokesh, the Chief Minister retorted by saying that he was a lucky man to have a wife, a son, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson, while Mr Modi had no family at all.
With Mr Modi scheduled to address a public meeting in Rajahmundry on April 1, Mr Naidu has been instigating the people, reminding them that he had denied several benefits to the state despite the assurances that he had given in the presence of Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati while electioneering in 2014. He said that Mr Modi would have to pay to the Lord for his actions.
He claimed credit for developing Hyderabad and talked about his vision to develop the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh to make it one of the best in the country while demeaning Mr Modi's work as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He said that despite not having adequate funds, Andhra Pradesh stood first on several fronts like economic growth rate or in the implementation of Ease of Doing Business. He blamed Mr Modi for destroying central institutions like the CBI, ED, RBI, the income-tax department, and others.
Mr Naidu targeted Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for trying to create hurdles in the execution of the Polavaram project and also for failing to release funds which were due to be given to Andhra Pradesh. He wondered as to how the TRS government could seek a share of water from Pattiseema lift scheme when it was built using the funds of the Andhra Pradesh government.
He later turned his attention to YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and asked the people if they would support him in the upcoming elections as he had nearly 31 cases filed against him. Mr Naidu said that the YSRC chief was the only person in the country who was booked for almost all kinds of criminal activities.
He repeatedly targeted Mr Modi, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, and Mr Reddy, alleging that they were allies in depriving Andhra Pradesh of funding and development. He alleged that the YSR Congress even influenced the Centre to transfer three police officers in the state and dared Mr Reddy to fight openly in the polls, without any support from Mr Modi or Mr Rao.
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