Narendra Modi is blaming the Congress for the situation in Andhra Pradesh following the bifurcation, but he has forgotten his own promises, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said Saturday. After the TDP’s reply to the Prime Minister’s speech during the no-confidence motion was cut short in Lok Sabha, Naidu flew into Delhi Saturday to explain his party’s position to reporters. Modi wants to humiliate the people of Andhra by not keeping the promises made (by the previous government) on the floor of the House, and during his own election rallies in the state, Naidu alleged. But the TDP would continue to fight for the rights of the state, and would play a role in national politics in 2019, he predicted. The central government, Naidu alleged, had first promised special status for Andhra Pradesh, then changed it to “special assistance”, and was now giving nothing. “Yesterday PM said it was because of the 14th Finance Commission that I am (Modi) unable to give you special status or extend special assistance. Where did he get this? The Finance Commission does not deal with the idea of special status. In fact, it has been saying don’t drag us into this, we are only here for devolution of funds between states and Centre,” Naidu told reporters at the capital’s Constitution Club. It was due to Modi’s arrogance that the TDP had moved the no-confidence motion, Naidu said. “You are blaming the Congress, but you have forgotten your own responsibility. Is this how you maintain Centre-state relations?” Naidu also responded to Modi’s jibe in Parliament that he was “immature”, by reminding the PM that his political experience was far longer. “PM is saying that KCR is mature and I am not. PM shouldn’t say that. I became CM in 1995. He came only in 2002,” Naidu said. He said that the PM had accused him of making a U-turn (in the context of quitting the NDA), but it was actually he (Modi) who had made a U-turn. “You backed out of your promises made to Andhra Pradesh. In the run-up to the 2014 elections, you promised to make Amaravati better than Delhi. But you are not giving us funds. I gave shape to Hyderabad. I created a brownfield city. After bifurcation, we have lost everything. For the Polavaram dam, the Centre has to give Rs 2,300 crore,” Naidu said. The Andhra CM has been pushing for early completion of the two projects as he faces elections in 2019 under tremendous pressure from the YSR Congress, which has been holding impressive rallies across the state. Not surprisingly, he attacked Modi for saying that he had fallen into the YSR Congress’s trap by withdrawing support to the government. “This is something that he had said even when I had informed him about my MPs resigning from his government. I said as long as I am doing the right thing, I don’t care,” Naidu said. “How can you compare a tainted party (YSR Congress) with TDP? When we were moving a no-confidence motion in Parliament, they were in court. PM said he will finish corruption in one year. But BJP is supporting them (tainted individuals). In Karnataka, Gali Janardan Reddy was inducted into the party. How can he support tainted politicians?” While saying the TDP would have a role in national politics in 2019, Naidu brushed aside speculation over his own prime ministerial ambitions. “I am not expecting any post in Delhi. Even in the 90s, I rejected it. My fight is for Andhra Pradesh,” he said. On the PM’s and Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s assertions about the absence of unity and trust in the opposition, Naidu retorted: “Is there trust within the BJP?” The opposition, he said, had come together for a common cause. Naidu also attacked Modi for his government’s failure on various fronts such as demonetisation, farmers’ distress, failure to double farmers’ income, unemployment, and atrocities against SCs/STs and minorities.
