BJP chief Amit Shah hits out at Chandrababu Naidu, says won’t take him back

india

Updated: Feb 04, 2019 23:12 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will return to power in the 2019 national elections but it will close the doors on Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) even if it reaches out for an alliance, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah said on Monday, launching a scathing attack on ally-turned-rival Chandrababu Naidu.

Addressing a rally in Vizianagaram district, Shah said Andhra chief minister Naidu was known for “deception and rank opportunism”.

Last year, Naidu’s TDP severed ties with the BJP and the Centre’s ruling NDA, demanding a special status for Andhra Pradesh. He has since launched a sustained attack on the central government and is now a prominent face in the Opposition bloc.

Shah said Naidu began his political innings in the Congress; switched to his father-in-law and actor-turned-politician NT Rama Rao’s TDP; then aligned with the BJP-led NDA during 1999-2004 only to part ways after the 2004 elections; and again realigned with the same coalition in 2014.

“Chandrababu sensed the prospects of Atalji (former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) coming to power in 1999 and joined NDA. After NDA lost power in 2004, he discarded it. After 10 years in Opposition, Naidu realised there is a Modi wave sweeping the country and returned to NDA again...,” Shah said.

He alleged that Naidu initially welcomed a special package for Andhra as a substitute to the special category status, but later played to gallery for poll gains.

Dokka Manikyavara Prasad, TDP spokesperson and a member of the legislative council, said the prospect of Naidu trying to forge a post-poll alliance with the NDA will not arise.

“Our mission is to send Modi home. There is no question of aligning with him”, Varaprasad said.