Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the electorate in Andhra Pradesh to switch on the torch lights on their mobile phones and express their solidarity with the NDA government in protecting the democracy and propelling development through their vote to the BJP in the general elections and TDP-JSP-BJP alliance in the state.
Soon, the public attending the meeting near Chilakaluripeta in Palnadu district, acted in the positive.
Though Modi addressed the meeting as part of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance’s show of strength, he did not make any mention of Amaravati or Polavaram during his entire speech.
The farmers of the Amaravati capital region have been staging agitation for more than three years demanding that Amaravati alone should be the capital for Andhra Pradesh.
The multi-purpose Polavaram project which was lying pending for the last few years was also not mentioned by Modi even while the AP public believe that it is the lifeline of the state.
The issue of constructing a new capital and completion of Polavaram project are mentioned in the Andhra Pradesh Bifurcation Act, 2014 but they have not been realised even after 10 years of bifurcation.
Surprisingly, Modi did not make any promise regarding the above two issues but sought public support for the NDA government at the Centre.
He focused on listing out the development and welfare initiatives taken up by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and listed out various programmes and claimed that the schemes brought about development in the nation.
He also asserted that on June 4, when the general and Assemblies’ election results would be declared, the NDA government would cross the 400 mark of seats in the Parliament. “Ab ki baar—chaar sou paar,” he said.
He said that the public in AP seem to have taken two resolutions – to vote the NDA back to power at the Centre for a third time and exercise their franchise in favour of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance in the state.
Modi hinted that working in coordination with the Centre will help Andhra Pradesh witness development and prosperity.
