Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the rally near Guntur on Sunday. (PTI ) Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the rally near Guntur on Sunday. (PTI )

Targeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that he was “afraid of facing the truth”.

“Babu garu, the ground is slipping from underneath your feet, be careful. He (Naidu) already knows he is going to lose the election. He is unable to sleep peacefully. Naidu is afraid of facing the truth,” he said. The Prime Minister was speaking at a public meeting at Etukuru near Guntur.

This was his first public address in Andhra Pradesh after the TDP parted ways with the NDA over denial of Special Category Status to the state.

Slamming Naidu for joining hands with the Congress, Modi said the Andhra Chief Minister has forgotten why N T Rama Rao founded the TDP. “NTR used to call those who insulted Andhra Pradesh as dusht. Now, Chandrababu has gone and joined hands with them. He has betrayed the principles of TDP which was formed to uphold the self-respect and pride of Telugu people. Naidu has betrayed NTR by colluding with Congress. Wherever NTR will be today, he would be aggrieved to see this,” he said.

The Prime Minister claimed Naidu is critical of him and the BJP because he is now being asked to furnish an account of how funds given by the Centre have been utilised. “Naidu is afraid because unlike previous governments I, the chowkidar, am asking for utilisation certificates. Naidu has misused the funds and to hide his government’s corruption and failures, he is criticising me,” he said.

The Centre is working on every point of the Andhra Pradesh Re-Organisation Act 2014. “It is because of this that 10 out of 11 higher education institutions (promised to Andhra), including IIT Tirupati, Anantapur Central University, IIM Visakhapatnam and AIIMS in Mangalagiri, have been already started.”

“There are four truths about Naidu. First is his fear of loss in the coming elections. Second is he wants to promote his son in politics. The third is his personal wealth creation and fourth is his fear of the person standing in front of you, your chowdikar,” he said. “Ye baap-beta ki sarkar phir nahi aayegi.”

“Naidu promised to make AP a sunrise state, instead he has taken a U-turn and is now concentrating on ‘son-rise’,” he said.

Taking a dig at Naidu, the Prime Minister said, “Chandrababu keeps claiming that he is senior to me. There is no doubt about it. Babu is senior in losing one election after another. He is senior in lying and deceiving and switching loyalties. He is senior in abusing someone today and sitting in their laps tomorrow.”

Claiming that his government gave out nearly 13 crore new LPG gas connections, Modi said that since 1955, previous governments gave out only 6 crore LPG connections. “Those who left the people of this country to suffer the smoke are now creating smokescreens of lies and deceit and Chandrababu has gone and joined hands with them,” Modi said.

Modi did not mention YSR Congress leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Naidu has claimed that BJP and YSRCP were hand-in-glove.

Earlier, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation ONGC’s facilities at Visakhapatnam and BPCL’s facility at Krishna Patna port by unveiling a plaque. He said the Centre is building oil reserves at strategic places so that the country does not face scarcity of fuel.

When Modi arrived at Vijayawada airport, TDP leaders, including Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh, held black flags and released black balloons. At many places, TDP workers put up posters with “Modi go back” slogans.

Speaking at the rally, Modi said, “They are saying Modi go back. I have to thank them. Yes, I am going back to Delhi again after this election. One-hundred-and-thirty crore people want Modi in Delhi. In our culture, before any auspicious occasion, we put a black dot on the face of the family’s head. It is supposed to ward away bad vibes. These black balloons and flags are like that to me. I have to thank TDP for wishing me good.”

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