Praja Front a democratic compulsion, says Naidu

​Hyderabad: Forming a Praja Front has become a necessity as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned into a brand ambassador of negativity, fear and anxiety. In his anxiety to remain in power, he has started destroying democratic institutions, one by one.

He thinks that sarcasm can win him votes, observed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu, during an interaction with Editors here on Thursday. People voted for Modi with a hope that he would provide better governance and felt that he would replicate the Gujarat model of development. But he has failed to deliver. When TDP decided to join hands with BJP in 2014, Naidu said he could not gauge that Modi continued to nurse the animosity he had developed towards him for the stand he had taken after the Godhra incident.

“I thought he was a changed man; but the way he caused more damage to the state by not fulfilling the promises made in the bifurcation act and denying the Special Category Status; the way he is becoming intolerant towards minorities and Dalits; and the manner in which the institutions are getting destroyed, I felt that there was no option but to take the initiative to form a front against BJP.”

Modi then started looking for allies with leaders who have an attitude that was like his and he found a ‘junior Modi’ in Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and hence he started befriending him. Similarly, he felt that in Andhra Pradesh Jaganmohan Reddy and Pawan Kalyan were like-minded and so he is encouraging them. Modi is very intelligent, he knows how to divide and create trouble between people.

In fact, I had first asked KCR to cooperate and told him that if both of us join hands, we can become the top most states. He refused. Even the Governor started acting in a manner that was never seen before. He is always ready with a pen to sign on any paper which KCR brings to him. We saw this when the Assembly was dissolved. Hence, the need for a new front. It is not an ideological shift, but democratic compulsion, Naidu said.

‘Rahul good, Modi arrogant’
Replying to a question, he said there is no ideological conflict between the Congress and the TDP. Both are secular parties. Such a conflict was there during the pre-reforms era. Now, people want performance, rather than ideology. Attitude-wise he said he found Rahul good, while Modi was arrogant.

On Rahul’s performance, he said you have seen him speak here since yesterday and you can judge. He looks sincere and honest. Naidu said the elections to the Telangana Assembly is a precursor and the proposed front would be meeting on December 10 to discuss the common minimum programme.

Asked about KCR’s comment that he had chased Naidu out and he has no business in Telangana since he was anti-Telangana, Naidu said TDP will continue to stay in TS. TDP has its footprints in development of modern Telangana, whether they like it or not.

KCR has come to this stage only because of the TDP and he should not forget his origins. The TDP was founded for the benefit of Telugu people. There is no need to spew so much venom against me. It is a reality that I cannot come here as CM. But if he believes that Telugus are one and if we work together, we can do wonders.

KCR alleges I am obstructing irrigation projects. We are a lower riparian state. Even if there are issues, we can amicably sort it out. He alleges I wrote letters against projects to Centre.