BJP betrayal biggest hurdle to Andhra’s development: Chandrababu Naidu

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday dubbed the BJP-led NDA government’s “betrayal” the biggest hurdle for the development of Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation.
Administering the Nava Nirmana Deeksha oath at Benz Circle here marking the fourth year of the state’s formation, he lambasted the BJP for its “grand conspiracy” to destabilise AP and accused it of trying to instigate people in Rayalaseema and Uttarandhra with the help of YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, citing the Rayalaseema declaration as proof for the BJP’s foul play.

“YSRC’s MPs resigned, but their resignations were not accepted as both the BJP and the YSRC  fear defeat if they go in for by-elections. The BJP was washed out in the recent bypolls to four parliamentary and 11 legislative seats,” he observed and alleged that Pawan Kalyan was being “used” to rake up issues concerning North Andhra to mount pressure on the yellow party.

The Chief Minister wondered aloud why the actor-cum-politico, who had remained silent since bifurcation, was now raising a hue and cry on underdevelopment. “The TDP government is doing more than any regime ever has in developing Andhra,” he said.

“The publicity Prime Minister didn’t even spare the opportunity to use former Tirumala priest Ramana Deekshithulu for levelling baseless allegations against the government,” he insinuated and accused the Centre of attempting to take over Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple by declaring it a protected monument with help of the Archaeological Survey of India.  

“Tirumala is far cleaner than Varanasi because of the efforts of our former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao. Anyone trying to defile the sanctity of the temple will pay a heavy price,” Naidu thundered at the event attended by over 2,000 people before alleging that the Modi government had not kept a single promise in its four years in power. “Banks are on the verge of bankruptcy. GST has made even idli taxable.

The price of fuel is increased on the whims and fancies of the government -- when elections are round the corner, prices dip, when they’re over, prices shoot up to the sky,” he claimed. erming the NDA government anti-farmer, the TDP supremo said the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee to ensure remunerative prices to farmers were not implemented, leave alone the doubling of ryots’ incomes. Naidu, in his over-90-minutes-long speech, recalled the days after bifurcation when the state did not have a capital and he had to run the administration from a bus. “We were betrayed by the Congress, which divided the state in an illogical and irrational manner. We believed the NDA would help us recover, but we were betrayed again. Every promise was reneged upon and we have been denied special category status,” he complained.

Concluding his verbal diatribe, Naidu demanded that the Centre at least fulfil its responsibility of ensuring that the Polavaram Project — “AP’s lifeline” — be completed by 2019 and blamed the Centre of stalling the delimitation of constituencies for putting TDP at a disadvantage.
Interestingly, the Chief Minister, who praised government employees for their dedication, invited APNGO president P Ashok Babu to enter politics.

Meanwhile, the YSRC observed the day as Vanchana Vyatireka Deeksha (anti-betrayal struggle), protesting the injustices meted out to the state by the Centre. Senior party leaders, including the MPs, observed a day-long hunger strike. “Even 4 years after bifurcation, justice still eludes AP. Those in power both at the Centre & State have cheated AP & broken their promises by denying the rightful demand of SCS. The people of AP will teach them a fitting lesson in 2019 for their betrayal,” YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy tweeted, even as party leaders denied any plans of a tie up with the BJP.