Naidu welcomes senior Congress leader V Kishore Chandra Deo into TDP fold

Former Union Minister and Congress leader V Kishore Chandra Deo on Sunday joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who welcomed him into the party fold.

A large number of tribal people from across north Andhra had gathered to mark the occasion. "It is not new for me to work with the TDP," said Deo, while recalling when he worked with Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR, for 10 years at the national level.

Talking about the bauxite movement in north Andhra, Deo said that even though the Congress was ruling in the state and at the Centre, he could only stop the mining but failed to cancel the licenses.

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: "BJP is creating divisions among different communities in the region. Prime Minister Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won't even get 100 seats in the coming Lok Sabha seats."

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Naidu lauded Deo for doing dignified politics throughout his political career.

Comparing Deo with Jagan Mohan Reddy of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Naidu said: "There is no comparison between Deo and Reddy. Deo has always brought respect, but Jagan has criminalised the political discourse and has floated a party only to attack. YSRCP cadres have time and again attacked Congress, TDP and journalists."

Naidu alleged that Prime Minister Modi is leading attacks on opposition leaders in the country. He said the TDP leaders having assets in Hyderabad are getting death threats and are being harassed by the TRS leaders.

"On one hand, Prime Minister Modi is forcing I-T Department and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to raid the state, on the other, K Chandrasekhar Rao of TRS is threatening and harassing those opposing him. All of them are targeting our party and the state. I am not fighting for myself but for the sake of the state and for the future of the youths."

Accusing Prime Minister Modi, KCR and Jagan Mohan of colluding among them against him, Naidu said: "Why are you playing a veiled politics and dark politics? You three can contest the elections together. We will show you the power of Andhra."

TDP president Naidu also requested the Telugu people to raise their voice against Prime Minister Modi who is scheduled to visit Visakhapatnam on March 1.

He requested the people of the state to ask him about the assurances made in the wake of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act such as Visakhapatnam Railway Zone, Vizianagaram Tribal University, Visakha Metro Rail, Kakinada Petro Chemical Complex, and the financial aid of Rs 1000 crore for Hudhud cyclone victims.