PM Narendra Modi meeting YSRC chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy sending wrong signals, says CM Naidu

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who pulled TDP out of the BJP-led NDA, gave vent to his ire on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the floor of the AP Legislative Council on Friday and sought to know what kind of indications the latter was sending to the nation by allowing financial offenders to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). “What is the need for the the Prime Minister to give audience to YSRC chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy and Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Sai Reddy, who are the main accused in several cases? Does the Centre require the support of corrupt persons? Is it not immoral?’’ the Chief Minister asked.

Observing that criminals will influence the investigating agencies like CBI and ED by making use of their association with the Prime Minister and the President, Naidu said that leaders in high positions should not encourage such people.In his two-hour-long speech in the AP Legislative Council on Friday, the Chief Minister, apart from mentioning the raw deal meted out to the state by the Centre without fulfilling provisions in the AP Reorganisation Act and also the assurances given by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the floor of Rajya Sabha, also explained the consequences that led the TDP to come out of NDA.

“Can the Prime Minister not spare even an hour to speak with our MPs despite they demanding that the Centre fulfil the promises made to the state by disrupting the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament? After adjourning the first spell of budget session, we thought that the Centre will consider the demands of AP and make certain allocations in the Finance Bill. But, there was no mention of AP in the budget. Why should we continue with the NDA under such circumstances? The BJP leaders should introspect why the TDP forced to take such a decision after four years. As the TDP is a disciplined party, we first bid adieu to the NDA and then moved the no-trust motion against the Centre,’’ Naidu explained.

Recalling several speculations that the NDA government would accord Special Category Status to AP if YSRC MPs resigned, he wondered what mistake the TDP had committed when it was in NDA. “The very purpose of the alliance was to serve the interests of the state. Keeping the promises made to the state is your responsibility. If you don’t do it, you tell the people why?” he said. 

Naidu said BJP wants to rope in YSRC party thinking it can control it as there are cases against that party’s leaders. “I am not afraid of anyone as there are no cases against me,” he said. He said such an attitude of the Centre would prompt the people to doubt if the lack of support to Andhra Pradesh from it was intentional. “Do they (Central Government) not want the State to develop as they would lose credit for it and I will become strong and not listen to them?” he wondered. Referring to the remarks of Pawan Kalyan that the TDP had already dumped Rs 20 crore each in every Assembly constituency for distributing the same to voters during elections, Naidu said that he was the person who demanded that physical currency be cancelled.