Throwing the gauntlet back at Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said that he would pay back by giving “three gifts” to KCR.
Mr. Naidu was addressing a meeting after unveiling the statue of NTR at Sattenapalli on Friday.
“KCR is saying that he would give me a return gift. Brothers, I am giving him three return gifts. This KCR has joined hands with his brother Jagan Mohan Reddy and is trying to work against TDP. But we have an iron will and we will not be cowed down by their threats,” said Mr. Naidu.
Mr. Naidu also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party by saying that the party had taken Jagan Mohan Reddy into its fold by keeping the CBI cases as a Damocles sword.
Invoking the legacy of Telugu Desam Party founder and former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao, Mr. Naidu has vowed to frustrate the designs of forces working against the interests of the State. Mr. Naidu said the former Chief Minister had introduced several welfare schemes that had endeared the party to the masses.
“The Telugu Desam Party is a gift to the people of the State by NTR and I will continue to fight for the interests of the Telugu people,” he said.
Pat for Kodela
The Chief Minister congratulated Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao for getting the statue installed in his Assembly segment and said that the State government had spent ₹12 crore for the project. Ministers P. Pulla Rao, N. Ananda Babu, Collector Kona Sasidhar and TDP youth leader Kodela Sivaram were among those present.