JOIN USPM Modi's tour in Telugu states: Rousing reception in Vizag, mortifying rejection in KCR's Hyderabad
A rousing reception organised by the ruling YSRCP in Visakhapatnam in the morning and outright rejection in the afternoon by the TRS in Hyderabad complete with “No-Entry to Telangana” banners — the response to PM Modi's tour of the twin Telugu states has been divided.
PM Modi on Saturday initiated various development projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore. The tour presented a stark contrast in the political equation the prime minister now shares with the chief ministers on two sides.
On stage with Modi, addressing a huge rally in Vizag Andhra University grounds, Andhra Pradesh CM Jaganmohan Reddy copiously attributed terms like benevolence and generosity to Modi while seeking more projects, and additional funds from the Centre for his state.
Reddy, who frequently meets the PM in New Delhi, even proclaimed that his bonding with Modi goes beyond political reckonings.
The previous evening, Reddy accorded a warm welcome to the PM at the airport. The AU public meeting was in fact organised by the ruling side, with YSRCP Parliamentary party leader Vijayasai Reddy monitoring all the arrangements.
In Hyderabad however, it was the now-usual snub. CM K Chandrashekar Rao yet again sent the Telangana Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas to receive and send off the PM at the Begumpet airport, the fourth time this year.
Meanwhile, 'ByeByeModi' flexis too resurfaced on Hyderabad streets, one reminding the PM of his “Give me 50 days, burn me alive if I'm wrong” commitment regarding the demonetisation decision in November 2016.
“It is now 2195 days & counting. Yet no improvement, Modi ji,” stated a huge banner with images of Modi, demonetised Rs 1000 note, petrol cans and a burning match stick. Another billboard demanded the rollback of five per cent GST on handloom products while asking Modi to go back.
Such billboards were put up during Modi's Hyderabad visit in July for the BJP national executive meet.
A slighted Telangana BJP has accused that “Pragathi Bhavan, KCR's office cum residence, is behind the ugly campaign when the PM is in Telangana to inaugurate development projects.”
“Vinashakaale vipareetha buddhi,” said Union Tourism Minister Kishan Reddy. “The KCR family's confrontational attitude is detrimental to the state's interests. Such resistance to Modi is not evident even in the Left, Congress, DMK, Trinamool-ruled states.”
In KCR's Telangana, the BJP is vying to gain power in elections next year, while in Jagan's Andhra Pradesh, the saffron party is still a minnow. The TDP leaders however attribute another reason for Jagan's "immense respect for Modi" — the under-trial CBI cases on his alleged Disproportionate Assets.
In a howling shift from his 2016 remark (in a joint rally with PM in his constituency Gajwel) of Modi being “Bharat desh ke atyant lokpriya neta”, KCR has taken an extremely confrontational approach towards the BJP leader in the past few years. KCR's attempts at "demonising" the BJP, the latest being an alleged attempt to overthrow his government, increased proportionally with the poll setbacks TRS has suffered at the BJP's hands in the last two years.
Addressing a gathering of his party men at the Begumpet airport, before boarding the aircraft to Ramagundam in north Telangana where he dedicated the Rs 6,300 crore fertilizers and chemicals plant to the nation, Modi asked them not to be hassled by abuses hurled at him.
“People who have nothing to offer to the public hurl abuses at me. Take it easy, have a laugh over tea in the evening. The lotus is going to bloom here soon,” was the PM's reaction.