File Picture Courtesy : Live Mint
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a “campaign PM who has failed to deliver on promises” and the BJP would “definitely” not remain in power after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Naidu said the Congress too won’t be able to form the next government on its own and stressed that regional parties had “able and capable leaders” who would play important roles after the polls.
His remarks came a few days after he shared the stage with leaders of several regional parties at the swearing-in of H D Kumaraswamy as chief minister of the Congress-JDS alliance in Karnataka after a bitterly fought election that threw up a hung verdict.
Inaugurating ‘Mahanadu’, the Telugu Desam Party’s annual conclave in Vijayawada, the party chief said his party had played important roles in forming governments in the past and had the power to change the narrative in the country, hinting that it could tie-up with like-minded parties to stop the BJP’s juggernaut.
Naidu said the TDP was a key player in the formation of the United Front government in 1996.
“The TDP has in the past played a key role in forming governments. It has the power to change the political narrative in the country. We won’t step back,” Naidu said.
He said Modi was a “campaign prime minister, who gives slogans only but has failed to deliver on promises”.
“The BJP will definitely not come to power in 2019. The BJP forming government again is a distant dream,” Naidu said.
On allegations of EVM manipulation during elections, he said thorough discussions should be held on the use of “electronic voting machines to ensure fair elections”.
Naidu said the TDP withdrew support from the NDA government as the Centre had reneged on its promise to grant the special category status to Andhra Pradesh and failed to implement the AP Reorganisation Act.
He alleged that the saffron party was resorting to “revenge politics” and using institutions such as the CBI and the ED to pressure those who do not follow its line.
The BJP was trying to enter southern India through the back door. It wanted to grab power and was least concerned about development, Naidu alleged.
