PM Modi taunts Chandrababu Naidu, calls him ''U-Turn Babu''

Kurnool (AP), March 29

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a blistering attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and erstwhile ally N Chandrababu Naidu, calling him ‘U-turn Babu’, whose “intent” was not on state’s development.

Addressing an election rally here, he sought to reject Naidu’s repeated attacks that his government neglected the state.

Andhra Pradesh goes to simultaneous elections to the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the first phase on April 11 with the BJP contesting them alone.

Listing various initiatives taken by the NDA government for Andhra Pradesh, Modi said it was during his regime that the Vizag-Chennai industrial corridor was flagged off and approval for the first National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) given.

It was also the ‘chowkidar’ who cleared the first Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) besides approving the greenfield petrochemical complex for the state, he said.

“Five years ago, your one vote made me PM. Your Pradhan sewak worked selflessly day and night for the people of the country. Chowkidar kept the interest of the state in mind,” he said.

Modi also recalled that the NDA government sanctioned first central university in Anantpur.

He accused Naidu, the Telugu Desam Party supremo, of pasting state government ‘stickers’ on the Central schemes.

“For sure, I could have done more work. I just required the cooperation of the state government. I made all efforts from my side, but the person who is running the government (Naidu), his intention is not Andhra Pradesh’s development,” Modi said.

Levelling charges of corruption and dynasty politics against Naidu, he said the election date of April 11 will usher in the “double engine” of the state’s growth—a BJP government both at the Centre and the state.

There was debate going on in AP that there were ‘schemes for corruption,’ ranging from the creation of the new capital Amravati, the Prime Minister charged.

“The people of Andhra Pradhesh know whose coffers are being filled... when this chowkidar sought accounts, U-turn Babu took a u-turn from AP’s growth and walked out of the NDA,” Modi lashed out.

Naidu had snapped ties with the NDA in March last year, accusing the Centre of not honouring the “promised” special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

Hitting out at the TDP supremo for getting close to the Congress, Modi said Naidu has “found friends who are on bail,” apparently referring to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi who are on bail in the National Herald case.

Modi, who had in the past hit out at Naidu for alleged family politics, said the election should also see the “son-set”, and called for a new “sunrise.”

He deliberately stressed on the “son” part to drive home his point on dynasty politics targeting the AP Chief Minister and his son and state minister Nara Lokesh.

Without elaborating, Modi mocked that Pakistan has now accepted Naidu’s “friends” as “hero.” — PTI