Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday felt the need for the whole nation to welcome the 'one nation-one election' system.
Naidu's TDP is a key ally of BJP led NDA at the Centre. It is probably the first time that Naidu had publicly endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's pitch to have simultaneous elections across the country.
The union cabinet had recently accepted the report submitted by the high level panel headed by former president of India Ramnath Kovind on conducting simultaneous elections.
The Chief Minister, who returned to Amaravati on Wednesday afternoon after a two-day visit to New Delhi, told media persons here that if the nation has a sustainable governance the whole country will witness speedy development.
"Since some state or the other in the country is facing elections almost every year it is causing hurdles to the progress of the country. Combined elections should be held for Lok Sabha, Assemblies and the local bodies focus can be laid on development and thus we support the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's objective of 'one nation-one election," Naidu said.
The NDA has come back to power under the leadership of Modi at the Centre and the BJP has come back to power in Haryana for the third consecutive term, Naidu said and felt that the BJP leaders worked in close coordination and the high command too worked hard to achieve this victory. "This is a classic example for achieving favourable results if we work hard and do good for people," he said.
In Haryana, the BJP won 48 seats out of 90 with 39.94 percent of votes which is 3.54 per cent more than last time, he said. "The confidence in a single individual and the good governance extended by a political party resulted in an increase in voting percentage," Naidu said.
Expressing the hope of favourable results in the upcoming elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra too, he said that one nation-one election is the policy of the NDA.
Naidu was confident that the nation will be on top position in the world under the able leadership of Modi and said that India will grow as the third largest economy in the globe very soon with Vikasitha Bharat-2047. Pointing out that the technology has moved fast till Artificial Intelligence till now, he felt that youth is a great asset to the nation.
Stating that he called on seven Union Ministers, including the Prime Minister, during his two-day visit to New Delhi, the Chief Minister felt that the Centre's assistance is needed to bring the State back on track which suffered a lot during the previous government.
Coming down heavily on the former chief minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister is of the opinion that Jagan is the biggest curse to the state.
"It is a case study that if the power is given to a destructive person how the state suffers. This will be a classic example for future generations too. With the developmental works taken up in the combined Andhra Pradesh, Telangana has progressed well as a strong economic state and reforms can be implemented with a vision," the Chief Minister said.
He felt that welfare and progress should be taken further simultaneously and stated that Modi not only won the polls for the third consecutive term but also undertook several welfare programmes. He said that the state could boldly face the recent cyclonic storm and asked whether any leader from the YSRCP was seen anywhere anytime during the floods.
"The YSRCP leaders shamelessly tried to cause damage to Prakasam Barrage by pushing some boats in the Krishna River and now they are talking about whatever they want, " he said. The Chief Minister said that the Brahmotsavams in Tirumala and the Navaratri celebrations of Goddess Kanaka Durga are being celebrated well and asked whether these festivities were held in similar manner earlier.
The Chief Minister said he made a request to the Centre to supply oxygen to the state which is now reeling under a heavy debt burden of Rs 10.5 lakh crore.