Will build alternative to BJP: N Chandrababu Naidu's challenge to Narendra Modi
Vijayawada: Throwing a direct challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, Telugu Desam supremo and AP Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, unveiled his plan to “save the nation and democracy.”
He said in a bid to save the nation and democracy he had come forward to build an alternative to the BJP at the Centre since the independence of the country’s democratic institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Enforcement Directorate, and the Central Bureau of Investigation, among others, has been demolished in the last four years.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, after meeting party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah, the TD chief said that though he doesn’t aspire to become the convenor of an anti-BJP coalition, he has come forward as someone has to take the initiative at a time when the nation and democracy are in danger.
He said that democratic institutions in the country have been demolished due to the interference of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though the latter propagates and builds a ‘statue of unity’. The country’s condition has deteriorated under Mr Modi’s rule and all important institutions are now filled with people from Gujarat, Mr Naidu said. He alleged that the economy has crashed due to demonetisation, which was introduced without proper ground work. He also said that instead of delivering the promise of granting special category status to AP, Mr Modi had openly threatened the TD of dire consequences. “Modi had directly told TD that he would come to us. Not to worry. He had openly threatened us,” Mr Naidu said.
He also lambasted the BJP for announcing that the party will not have any alliance with the TD in TS without consulting him. Mr Naidu also said Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had ridiculed him when he proposed that both the Telugu parties should work together.
“All non-BJP parties will work together to chalk out a programme to save the country and democracy and we will meet again.” He said the Centre is not taking responsibility for the Rafale scam and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent. “We will fight it out and that is our mission. What is the secret in the Rafale deal?” he asked.
The TD has played a key role in national politics, he said, and all parties are extending their support for AP issues. Later in the evening Mr Naidu tweeted “We want to send this message across loud & clear, all efforts by BJP to attack the Indian democracy will be met with a strong opposition. People must understand that any leader will do better than PM Modi ji.
