Focus on works that fetch votes: Naidu to TDP leaders

Amaravati: Suggesting that party leaders not to come with proposals for development activities alone such as laying of roads, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu directed them to come up with concrete plans to ensure maximum votes for the party in the coming general elections.

Addressing the party state-level workshop at his residence at Undavalli on Friday, Naidu cautioned that this is election year and the leaders must focus on gaining maximum votes in their respective constituencies by balancing development and the interests of the party.

He made it clear that it would not be possible to sanction funds for developmental works at this juncture.  “It would look good if you come to me and ask Rs 50 crore or Rs 100 crore for this or that developmental work in your constituency.

But will these work really fetch votes for the party? Will the people really experience their benefits and reward the party? These are the questions you have to ask yourself before seeking funds. Everyone must focus on how we can win with thumping majority in constituencies,” he said. 

The party chief advised the leaders to ponder whether the work they had done was enough or should they do more and if they need to do more, what should be done and how it should be done during this year. 

Launching a tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government for meting out injustice to the state, Naidu reminded that the Prime Minister had promised Special Category Status (SCS) to the state in three meetings and assured to rectify the injustice done during the bifurcation. “BJP in its 2014 election manifesto assured 10 years SCS for AP. We have been asking them to grant it for the last four years but it did not bother. That is why I have started ‘Dharma Poratam’,” he said.

The Chief Minister said Narendra Modi had promised to construct New Delhi-like capital city for AP but gave only Rs 1,500 crore for Amaravati, while allocating a whopping Rs 2,500 crore for a statue of Vallabhai Patel. Wondering how such a meagre amount would be enough to build a capital, the Chief Minister said anyway the amount that would be spent on the capital construction would go to the Central government again through various Central taxes.

“The people of AP are asking why injustice is being done to them only. They suspect a collusion between YSRCP and BJP. Development of the state should not be hampered whether Centre cooperates or not,’’ he said and added that he had been fighting against the Central government for the justice to the state, whereas the YSRCP president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy had been indulging collusive politics to harms the interests of the people of the state. He criticised YSRCP for suggesting that the TDP follow them instead of fighting against Central government.