Congress betrayed Seemandhra people: Modi

BJP leader said the Congress was hell bent on dividing the state without taking the Seemandhra people into confidence

On a day when the Telangana bill was moved in the Lok Sabha, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Tuesday accused the Congress of betraying the Seemandhra people by planning to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh without addressing their concerns.

"The Congress is playing politics with Andhra Pradesh by pitting its people against each other. Its leaders are not ready to directly talk to the Seemandhra people," Modi said at a rally here, about 260 km from Bangalore.

"I never thought the Congress and its UPA government would play politics with a burning issue so badly for the sake of votes."

Addressing about 75,000 people at the "Bharat Gellisi" (Make India Win) rally organised by the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in this textile town, Modi said the Congress was hell bent on dividing the state without taking the Seemandhra people into confidence.

"Instead of standing by the Seemandhra people and applying balm on their wounded hearts, the Congress has been playing with their feelings and sufferings," he said.

"Why are its party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi not going to Seemandhra and meeting its people? They both are insensitive to the people," Modi said during his 45-minute speech in Hindi.

Clarifying that the BJP was not opposed to a Telangana state but wanted the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to first address the grievances of the Seemandhra people, the Gujarat chief minister said the safety and welfare of the people were paramount.

"In meeting the Telangana demand, we cannot do injustice to the Seemandhra people who feel let down by their own government now."

Modi said, "The Congress should not forget that it was because of the people of Andhra Pradesh, the UPA could form the government again in 2009. They did not vote the Congress to divide them in such a undemocratic manner."