Country seeking change Mr Modi not AP: Naidu

Ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment that people of Andhra Pradesh are seeking a change, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that it is the people of the nation waiting to bring down the Modi government.

The TDP national president said this while addressing a public meeting under “Janmabhoomi, Maa Ooru” (My birth place, my village) programme at Achampet, Guntur district, on Thursday.

The prime minister made the comment while he was addressing party functionaries from coastal Lok Sabha constituencies through a video conference on Wednesday from New Delhi.

Modi also said that Andhra Pradesh is the most corrupt state in the country.

“The PM says that we are corrupt while he himself is stuck in the murky Rafale deal. Andhra Pradesh is the third corruption less state in the country and he (Modi) should know that,” Naidu said.

Attacking the BJP government at the Centre, Naidu said that Narendra Modi is afraid of Andhra Pradesh as he knows that it can surpass the latter's home state of Gujarat.

“I went to Delhi 29 times to plead the PM to help us out. But his heart didn’t melt. He fears that Andhra Pradesh will do better than Gujarat,” Naidu said.

Reminding the public about the promises made by Modi during the 2014 election campaigns in Guntur, Nellore and Tirupati, Naidu said that Modi failed to keep his promises made in the name of Lord Venkateswara.

“Actually, the Congress that divided the state is better than the BJP,” he said.

“Modi and his BJP have cheated the people of the state. Will you people vote for that cheaters,” Naidu asked.

He said that Andhra Pradesh which has no capital, no source of revenue, no industrial base is surviving not because of Modi but because of the hard work of its people and administration.

He said that Modi gifted the new state a pot full of sand and river water while it needed financial help to grow and stand on its feet.

Commenting on the suspension of TDP MPs in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Naidu said that no matter what the BJP does, it can't intimidate the TDP leaders.

“They (TDP MPs) will continue their protest seeking special category status, “ Naidu said.

He said that the people of Andhra Pradesh are known for their bravery and steadfastness. “You promise me that you will not vote for Modi or BJP,” he said.