Two family-run parties stifled Telangana’s development: PM Modi

Mahabubnagar (Telangana): Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged on Sunday that two family-run parties have stifled the development of Telangana and claimed that the people of Telangana want a BJP government in the state.

Addressing a public meeting here after launching several development projects, he said that while Telangana has the ‘sarkar’ (government) of ‘car’ (election symbol of BRS), the steering is in the hands of someone else.

“You know who is running the Telangana government,” he said. Though he did not take any name, going by the often repeated allegations of the BJP leaders, he was apparently referring to Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi.

“Two family-run parties have stifled development of Telangana. They are identified by corruption and commission. Both have the same formula – party of the family, by the family and for the family,” he said.

He remarked that these parties are turning ‘prajatantr’ into ‘pariwar tantr’. “They run party like private limited with all key posts held by the family. For support staff, they keep outsiders as a show-off,” Modi said.

The BJP leader said that while ‘Pariwarwadi’ parties are working for their own good, BJP cares for people. “Our focus is on your families to give you a better life and better prospects,” he added.

In an apparent attack on six guarantees announced by the Congress party for Telangana, Modi remarked, “Youth, women and farmers only trust Modi’s guarantees because what Modi guarantees, he implements.”

Sounding the poll bugle for the upcoming assembly elections, he said that people of Telangana want change. “On seeing this huge public response, I am confident that people have resolved to bring a change in Telangana. Telangana does not want a corrupt government but an honest and transparent government. It does not want false promises but it wants work on ground,” he said.

Referring to the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill, he said women’s voice will become stronger not just in Parliament but in every assembly.

“Sisters of Telangana know that their brother is working hard in Delhi to bring a change in their lives,” said Modi who repeatedly addressed the audience in Telugu as family members.

Claiming that BJP is committed to bring a change in the lives of Telangana people, he said the government at the Centre took several measures to ensure this. He said the total length of national highways in Telangana till 2014 was 2,500 km but an equal length of national highway was added in just nine years.

Stating that in 2014, Rs.3,400 crore were spent to pay MSP on paddy to Telangana farmers, Modi said his government paid 27,000 crore.

“This money has gone directly to farmers’ accounts but the government here has made farmers’ schemes a source for their income. In the name of irrigation projects, only corruption has taken place. Some project was inaugurated but farmers are not getting water. Farm loan waiver was promised but because of hollow promise, many farmers lost their lives,” he said

The Prime Minister said though BJP does not have its government in Telangana, it tried to help Telangana farmers. Ramagundam fertiliser plant was reopened to help farmers. Under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, about Rs. 10,000 crore was credited in farmers’ bank accounts.

He reiterated the decision of the Centre to set up a Turmeric Board and a tribal university in Telangana.

Modi said the tribal university would have come up long ago if the state government had taken interest. “This government delayed allotment of land for tribal university for five years. This shows it has no concern for tribal interests and tribal pride,” he said.