People of Andhra Pradesh ready to ditch Telugu Desam, says Piyush Goyal

Vijayawada: Union railway minister Piyush Goyal said the people of Andhra Pradesh were ready to ditch TD supremo and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the way he ditched the governments of A.B. Vajpayee in the past and Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

He said Mr Naidu had been spreading falsehood, half-truths and canards regarding the assistance that the BJP-led Union government had given AP in the last five years. He challenged Mr Naidu to a debate in Delhi on the Centre's help given to Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking at the launch of the BJP’s election manifesto, Mr Goyal said his party had never ditched anyone and works closely with partners.

Mr Goyal alleged that the TD had been reduced to a “private limited company”, indulging in largescale corruption and encouraging dynastic rule. “The examples are Naidu himself and his son and his brother-in-law and the brother-in-law’s son-in-law are contesting. Four from a family are contesting the polls,” he said.

He said the TD had neither the leadership nor enjoyed the trust and confidence of the people. Mr Naidu was "scared" of national investigative agencies due to his involvement in largescale corruption, the Union minister said.

Mr Goyal gave a presentation on Mr Naidu's stand on special category status, the Centre's special package and the state government's acceptance, Central assistance to AP and non-cooperation from the state.