Chandrababu Naidu warns Amit Shah against interfering in Andhra’s affairs, says ‘people will teach BJP a lesson’

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu today lashed out at BJP national president Amit Shah, accusing him of interfering in the functioning of the state administration. Speaking on the second day of the TDP conclave at Vijayawada, he said that Shah has no right to comment on the matters that are not related to him. He said that the people of Andhra Pradesh and the country will teach the BJP a lesson for not fulfilling its promises made in the run up to the elections.

Naidu noted that Shah is a president of the BJP and a Member of Parliament, but “he comments on issues like funding of Amaravati, Polavaram and Special Status”. The Chief Minister rejected Shah’s allegations that the utilisation certificates submitted by the state government for the works done in Polavaram and Amaravati are fake. He said that all the certificates submitted by his government are real and authentic.

“I ask, who is Amit Shah to say whether they are authentic or not? In what capacity does he say this?” he asked.

Naidu noted that instead of Shah, the Union Minister concerned or Prime Minister should ‘say it’. “Let Niti Aayog says that the certificates are false. We will respond then.” He said that none of the officials who should speak on such issues are saying anything. “But Amit Shah makes all kinds of statements.”

“Why is Amit Shah interfering in administration matters? We strongly condemn and oppose this,” he stated. The TDP president further said that people of the state will teach a lesson to the BJP. He said that “the people of the state and the country will teach them a lesson’’.

He said that construction of buildings in the capital has already started and utilisation certificates have been submitted. The CM said that the state had received Rs 1,500 crores for Amaravati and Rs 1,000 crores for storm and drainage projects in Vijayawada and Guntur. “We submitted certificates for work done at these places.”

He said that these are state administration matters and “Amit Shah shouldn’t interfere.”

“I warned him not to take on a state and Telugu people,” he opined.

He said that instead of honouring promises, the BJP leader was indulging in baseless counter-attacks.

The CM also reiterated the demand that the state be conferred with the special category status as promised by the BJP ahead of the polls.

The BJP and TDP are at loggerheads for the past few months over the latter’s special status demand. The party had quit the BJP-led NDA alliance and also the Modi Cabinet over non-fulfillment of the demand.