VISAKHAPATNAM: Launching a no-holds-barred attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his West Bengal and Delhi counterparts Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal called upon the people to remove him to save the country and democracy.
Addressing an election rally here on Sunday at the same venue from where Narendra Modi promised Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh five years ago, Mamata, Kejriwal and Naidu wondered what happened to the promise.
Predicting fall of Modi Sarkar after elections, the Trinamool chief said out of 543 seats in Lok Sabha, the BJP would not get even 125. “Even in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP bagged the maximum number of seats in the last elections, it can barely get 15-20 seats. It will not get a single seat in Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra,” she prophesied.
Stressing the need to vote out the Modi-Shah ‘jodi’ to save the country, Mamata described the development claims of Modi Sarkar as sounds of empty vessels. Stating that she had high regard for soldiers, Mamata criticised the BJP for politicising the Pulwama attack. After demonetisation, contrary to the claims, terrorism only increased, she said.
Mamata dared Modi to a public debate sans teleprompters. “We are ready for a debate on what was done and what was not. We are ready even for public interaction on the spot. Do you have guts?” she taunted Modi.
Mamtha asked people of Andhra to vote for Naidu as ‘he only can develop the State on all fronts’. Stressing the importance of 2019 elections, Arvind Kejriwal urged AP voters to give Chandrababu Naidu another five years so the foundation he laid for ‘vibrant’ and ‘dynamic’ State after bifurcation could be strengthened further.
Stating that the country was facing another emergency-like situation, the Aam Aadmi Party chief said the country had not seen such a corrupt government as Narendra Modi’s in the last 70 years. Accusing Modi Sarkar of dividing the country in the name of religion, region and communities and spreading hatred, he said what Pakistan failed to achieve in the last 70 years, Modi government did it in five years.
“The Modi government unleashed central agencies on our institutions and people. They (Modi and Shah) have ruined the country in five years. The entire country is in the grip of fear. They have destroyed the country’s economy by introducing demonetisation, which turned out to be the biggest scam today,” he claimed.
Referring to the recent remarks of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj that 2019 elections would be last elections fought in the country and Amit Shah’s claims that once the BJP retained power, no one could defeat the party till 2050, Kejriwal asked how it would be possible. “It shows that the Modi-Shah duo is conspiring to change the Constitution of the country, as Hitler did in Germany after coming to power and ruled the country till his death,” he said. Likening Modi to a malignant tumour, he stressed the need to remove him to save the country.
On the issue of next PM, they said it was not for the BJP to worry about and the entire country would decide it. Extending Delhi’s support to SCS to AP, he sought the backing of Andhras for full statehood to Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, Chandrababu Naidu described Modi as betrayer of Andhra people. “At this very venue, he promised SCS. Where is it? He came to Visakha after Hudhud cyclone devastation and promised `1000 crore, but gave only `650 crore. Railway zone was long-standing demand of people of Visakha, but what is given now is an empty zone akin to body sans head. Do we need it?” he asked.
Describing Modi as a split-personality with a dirty mindset, he said the BJP leader had no right to seek votes in AP and predicted not even a nominal number of votes would be given to the saffron party. Calling Modi a watchman of criminals and corrupt, Naidu said he was not fit to be PM of the country.