Chandrababu Naidu slams Centre for curbs on his Davos visit

VIJAYAWADA: Alleging that the Centre was creating obstacles in the efforts of the State government to prevent development, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said the attempts of the BJP government to thwart the development of Andhra Pradesh will remain futile.  

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is frightened that Gujarat will lag behind AP if we get more investments and hence he is trying to pull us back. But, I am sure that AP will go ahead and emerge as the top State of the country,” the Chief Minister asserted.

Participating in the Janmabhoomi Maa Vooru programme at Punadipadu village in Kankipadu Mandal of Krishna district on Sunday, he lambasted the Centre for imposing restrictions on his visit to Davos to attract investments to the State.

“Who gave you (Centre) the right? Is it the spirit of cooperative federalism? We will never allow the dominance of the Centre on States and that is our spirit. Telugu people will not compromise and continue to fight against those trying to suppress us with the self-respect slogan by our party founder and former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao,” the TDP supremo said.

It may be noted here the State government sought the Centre’s permission to approve the visit of Chief Minister and his entourage to Davos for participating in the World Economic Forum for seven days, but the Union External Affairs Ministry allowed the visit only for four days.

Taking on the Centre for  handing over the case relating to attack on YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to National Investigation Agency (NIA), he said though the assailant himself admitted he was Reddy’s fan and resorted to the act to garner sympathy for his leader, the BJP-led government was  trying to create unnecessary doubts with its action.

“Law and order is a State subject and the Centre is suppressing the State’s rights and misusing its power to protect the interests of some forces,” he said and alleged that Modi, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and the YSRC chief have joined hands to do injustice to AP.

“After failing on all fronts, the BJP government at the Centre is targeting its political opponents. A fresh example is CBI inquiry ordered against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav immediately after he entered into a poll pact with BSP chief Mayawati,” Naidu said and blamed the BJP for the untoward incidents taking place in Kerala over Sabarimala issue.

Crediting the people of the AP for the development the State has witnessed from 2014, Naidu said after bifurcation of the State, people gave a mandate to the TDP believing that he is only the leader with the capacity to administer and take AP on the road to development.