While Chandrababu Naidu attacked Jagan for corruption, Pawan Kalyan likened PM Modi to Lord Krishna from the "Mahabharata".
From left: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu at a public meeting at Boppudi in the Chilakaluripeta Assembly Constituency of in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, 17 March, 2024. (Supplied)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 17 March, invoked PV Narasimha Rao, the BJP government’s welfare schemes, and the saffron party’s promises while asking Andhra Pradesh to vote for the NDA in the upcoming Assembly elections as well as the Lok Sabha polls.
This was Modi’s first public meeting in Andhra Pradesh after the TDP — the Jana Sena in tow — returned to the NDA fold after 10 years.
Speaking at the meeting at Boppudi in the Chilakaluripeta Assembly Constituency he added that since the Election Commission had declared that 4 June would be the day of counting for the Lok Sabha polls, this time would be “4 June ko 400 paar” (400+ Lok Sabha seats on 4 June).
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and alliance partner Jana Sena’s chief Pawan Kalyan also spoke at the public meeting, named Praja Galam.
Each of them took turns to slam the current YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh and its Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy while asking for votes.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi noted that his government a few days ago awarded the Bharat Ratna to former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao, who he noted was vehemently insulted by the Congress.
He added that the Congress had always insulted the glory of Andhra Pradesh, while the NDA always respected it.
He also said: “Never make the mistake of thinking that Jagan’s party and the Congress are separate. These two parties are being run by members of the same family. They are in this together.”
Modi continued that on the other hand, “Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan have been fighting for your rights”.
Invoking the Central government’s welfare schemes, he claimed that 10 lakh houses had been given to families in the state as part of the PM Awas Yojana, with 5,000 of them constructed in the Palnadu district alone.
He added that 1 crore families received tap water connections through the Jal Jeevan Mission, while Ayushman Bharat helped 1.5 core people get free treatment in Andhra Pradesh.
He also said that more than 5 lakh people in the state were getting free ration with the Central government’s assistance, while farmers in Palnadu had been provided with ₹700 crore in total.
On the promises front, the prime minister talked of setting up a National Institute of Disaster Management, a National Institute of Custom and Indirect Taxes at Palasamudram, an IIT in Tirupati, an Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing in Kurnool, an IIM in Visakhapatnam, an Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy and an AIIMS at Mangalagiri, a National Institute of Design at Vijayawada, an NIT at Tadepalligudem, and a Central Tribal University at Vizianagaram.
TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu appeared to be buttressing the BJP’s welfare promises when he said at the public meeting: “The flags of three parties might be different, but the agenda of the three parties is same, which is welfare, development, and protecting democracy.”
He added: “After the bifurcation, we faced challenges and proceeded towards development with the cooperation of the NDA government. With the cooperation of the Central government, we established 11 national institutions in AP.”
He also said that the construction of Amaravati as the state’s new capital was started under his regime, and added: “If Amaravati had been completed by now, it would have become a great city. With his three capitals plan, Jagan destroyed Amaravati.”
Naidu came down even more heavily on Jagan with allegations of graft and misgovernance, saying: “The state is filled with Ganja, unrest, and crime.”
He added that Jagan “led Andhra Pradesh into darkness” and “polluted politics with false cases”.
Naidu continued: “Due to bad governance, financial mismanagement, and corruption, the offices of collectors, Rythu Bazar buildings, and government colleges have been mortgaged.”
He concluded that it was the responsibility of the people of the state to ensure that the NDA won all 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh.
Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan also spoke about corruption at the event, telling people at the public meeting: “The prevalence of black money in Andhra Pradesh escalated under the administration of the YSRCP.”
He added: “Despite promising a liquor policy change, Jagan’s government not only failed to ban liquor but actually encouraged its consumption, resulting in liquor sales of around ₹1.14 lakh crore, while only around ₹80,000 crore are reported in accounts.”
The actor-turned-politician also said: “Additionally, there was an estimated GST evasion of ₹10,000 crore.”
He also alleged that JP Ventures was a front for Jagan, and was implicated in a sand scam worth ₹40,000 crore. He added that a journalist was murdered for shedding light on the scam.
Pawan Kalyan also claimed that Andhra Pradesh had emerged as a hub for drug trafficking under Jagan, and at least 30,196 women were reported missing during his tenure.
He also likened Modi to Lord Krishna, alluding to the role the incarnation of Vishnu played in the Mahabharata.
(Compiled and edited by Arkadev Ghoshal)
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 12, 2024
