'Modi's criticism, breaking alliance with BJP led to TDP's defeat in polls'

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) lost in the recent elections because its leaders criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it parted ways with the Bharatiya Janta Party, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Sunday.

"TDP won in Andra Pradesh in 2014 as it allied had with BJP. In 2019, the party lost (the elections) as they left BJP. Chandrababu Naidu lost because he badly criticised Prime Minister Modi," Javadekar said at an event here.

Claiming that Modi is the only Prime Minister to have gained the belief of the largest number of citizens in the last 50 years, he said that every party and leader, critical of Modi, lost the polls. "Andhra Pradesh is the best example," the minister said.

Javadekar also accused Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments of labelling central schemes as state-run programmes.

He said: "In the past 5 years, Andhra and Telangana governments branded central government's welfare and development schemes as their own."

Javadekar was speaking at an event organised to launch BJP's membership drive in the state.

He said that the party is eyeing to take its membership numbers to 22 crores during the nation-wide membership drive which was launched by Modi in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

"BJP is the only party in the world which has 11 crore members. Now, we aim at increasing our membership to 22 crores. By 2024 elections, our aim is to increase the membership to 30 crores," he said.

TDP had snapped ties with the BJP, withdrawing support from the Modi government over special status demand for the state, in March last year. The Chandrababu Naidu-led party lost power to YSR Congress Party in the state and also had a dismal tally in the Lok Sabha polls.