Describing the Modi government as a totalitarian regime, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday called for a united Opposition to expose its poor performance and exuded confidence that India would do well under a non-BJP coalition.
He said the four-and-a-half years of the Modi dispensation was high on promises and low on delivery and alleged that instead of serving the country, the BJP-led NDA government had targeted the Opposition parties, which jeopardised the democratic fabric.
‘Leadership deficit’
“The nation feels betrayed today, there is a leadership deficit,” he said at the ‘United India rally’ of the non-BJP parties in Kolkata. Inviting the Opposition parties for a similar gathering which he proposed to organise in Amaravati, Mr. Naidu said Mr. Modi was a hero in sloganeering but when it came to delivering the promises, he proved that publicity was more important than fulfilling the people’s aspirations. “He has become a publicity PM.”
He said the Modi government had failed in solving the problems faced by farmers, caused a dent to the exchequer by purchasing Rafale fighter aircraft at exorbitant cost in blatant violation of procedures and played havoc with the economy by announcing demonetisation overnight and rolling out the GST with inadequate preparation.
Mr. Naidu alleged that the GDP growth rates were inflated and some high-profile defaulters and economic offenders were allowed to go scot-free. Citing various instances of interference in the affairs of A.P., he said the Centre had acted against the spirit of cooperative federalism. Besides, the fiscal autonomy of States was robbed by the Central government.
The TDP leader said the Centre had mishandled the situation in Kashmir and cultivated hate, which resulted in attacks on the minorities, the lynching of poor citizens by cow vigilante teams, murders of secular and independent journalists and attacks on women.
Also, the Centre weakened institutions through its actions and India’s influence abroad diminished as was evident from the Chinese aggression in Doklam and Nepal and Sri Lanka gravitating towards China.
