TIRUPATI/SRIKAKULAM: The TDP’s victory in the 2019 elections with more than 150 Assembly seats and 25 Parliamentary seats is a historic necessity for the State, said party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, kick-starting his poll campaign from Tirupati on Saturday after offering prayers in Lord Venkateswara temple, as has been his practice since he entered politics.
Addressing the party cadre at NTR Stadium, he called upon them to be prepared to strive for the next 25 days for a resounding victory of the party in the elections. “Based on your recommendations and public feedback, I have announced 126 candidates in the first list, deeming them to be winning horses. All of them have started poll canvassing and now it is your responsibility to ensure their victory,” he told the party workers.
Reiterating his commitment to the party cadre, whom he “considers” above his own family, the TDP chief said a new team for 2019-24 is being readied now. Elaborating on how the TDP government came to power when the State was in crisis without a capital city, funds and even manpower, Naidu squarely blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘betrayal’ for the less than expected development of the State.
“From this very place, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister candidate in 2014, has promised us to give Special Category Status and implement provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act. However, today, we stand betrayed,” he said. Later, addressing the party workers in Srikakulam, the TDP chief reiterated that the Narendra Modi government used IT, ED and CBI to conduct raids on TDP leaders and those who support the party in a vengeful manner.
“There is another person, KCR, who sees himself as the great leader, forgetting that he too had worked for me in this party. Even after five years, he refuses to give the rightful share of Andhra people in Schedule IX and X institutions and refuses to clear the power dues of `5,000 crore,” he maintained, targeting his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao.
He wanted party activists and beneficiaries of government schemes to impress upon the voters the necessity of the TDP victory. Naidu warned people to be wary of Jagan Mohan Reddy, who, he said, with his ‘Bihari gang’ has got names of nine lakh genuine voters deleted from voters’ list and stolen valuable data of the TDP with the help of TRS.