N Chandrababu Naidu era over for AP, says Amit Shah

Rajahmundry: BJP national president Amit Shah on Thursday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of “backstabbing” several leaders, like former chief minister and his father-in-law N.T. Rama Rao, former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He predicted the end of Mr Naidu’s political life following the elections.

The BJP chief mocked at Mr Naidu for visiting Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and New Delhi, either to extend support to other leaders staging a dharna or to stage a dharna of his own to demand special status for Andhra Pradesh by ignoring the development of his state. He advised Mr Naidu to stage a dharna in front of his party office so that he can concentrate on the state’s development.

He said sarcastically that if anyone could be given an award for backstabbing the country, the first choice would be Mr Naidu. He asked Mr Naidu how he could ally with the TD’s arch-rival Congress party when it was responsible for bifurcation of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. He said the people of Telangana had given a befitting lesson to the TD-Congress alliance in the last Assembly polls.

The BJP chief said both the Telugu Desam led by Mr Naidu and the YSR Congress led by Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had similar features, as their leaders were trying to promote family rule. He branded them as corrupt.

“I call upon the people of Andhra Pradesh to bring the BJP to power in both the state and at the Centre, as our party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take up developmental work and welfare schemes for the benefit of people in the state and the nation,” Mr Shah said.

He said the BJP-led NDA government had implemented nearly 90 per cent of provisions incorporated in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 in five years instead of 10. He said that when the Centre asked for accountability for the funds sanctioned for various schemes and projects, Chief Minister Naidu was getting irritated.