Modi promises to secure Telangana's future

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Tuesday said that he is ready to take the responsibility of securing the future of Telangana state.

Addressing an election meeting in this Telangana town, he called upon people to give power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) both in Telangana and at the centre for a bright future.

Describing Telangana as a newborn child, Modi promised to look after it. He also assured people that he would solve the problems faced by the Telangana youth working as labourers in the Gulf countries.

It was Modi's first election meeting in Telangana, where he shared dais with Telugu film actor Pawan Kalyan, who recently floated a new political party Jana Sena and declared his support to Modi.

Pawan, who is younger brother of superstar and now central minister K. Chiranjeevi, appealed to people to vote for BJP and remove Congress to save the country.

Modi said Pawan, who hails from Seemandhra, symbolized the spirit of Telugus and vowed to look after both Telangana and Seemandhra as the two sons.

The Gujarat chief minister likened the Congress to a doctor which delivered a child but killed the mother.

"The Congress killed the mother which is Telugu spirit, language, culture and tradition. I was worried over this. One day Pawan Kalyan came to me and his words touched my heart. If my country has youth like Pawan, the Telugu spirit can't die," he said.

The BJP leader said the elections were important for Telangana people as they have to decide what kind of government they want in Delhi and in Telangana.

Countering the Congress claim that it carved out Telangana state, Modi said it was people of Telangana who achieved the state through their sacrifices.

Claiming that he alone can look after Telangana, he pointed out that he is already taking care of three lakh people of Telangana who are employed in Surat.

The BJP leader said dynastic politics is a threat to democracy. He alleged that Delhi's dynasty destroyed India. "Will you commit the same mistake here," he asked the people in an obvious reference to the family of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao.

Modi pointed out that four members of a family are in fray and wondered if they did not find others capable of contesting elections.

Telangana, which has 119 assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats, is going to polls on April 30. The BJP is fighting the polls in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).