BJP Indulging In Revenge Politics: Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu today alleged that the BJP-led union government was indulging in vengeance against the state government for the latter asking it to fulfill the bifurcation promises.

Addressing the 3-day TDP Mahanadu which commenced today in Vijayawada, Naidu said that the people of Andhra Pradesh had a right to demand Special Category Status. Even the Telangana government supported the demand, he said. It was surprising that the BJP saw this as an affront, he remarked.

The TDP president said that his party had had an alliance with the BJP during the 2014 elections out of confidence that the BJP would fulfill the bifurcation promises to Andhra Pradesh.

"We stuck with the NDA for 4 years. We supported the demonetization decision, too. We came out only after realizing that the BJP was clearly deceiving us. And the Centre is now trying to make things even worse for our state," he claimed.

Naidu said that the latest salvo by the BJP was the recent controversy involving the TTD. The Centre was trying to gain control over the Tirumala temple through the archaeology department, he claimed.

Naidu also alleged that Prime Minister Modi had passion for propaganda but thought little about development.

Getting into the Mahanadu mode, the TDP boss said that the workers were the power and the soul of the party. "The TDP has 60 lakh workers in Andhra Pradesh and 10 lakh in Telangana, and give us our enormous power. And we have initiated various welfare programmes for them like the setting up of the NTR Memorial School for providing education to their children," he said.

Naidu said that the TDP was a disciplined party, and was the only party capable of developing a Navyandhra.