Athawale asks KCR, Jagan to support NDA

Union Minister and RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale Sunday urged ruling TRS and YSR Congress in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively to join the BJP- led National Democratic Alliance for development of the states.

Though the present NDA's strength in Lok Sabha was 353 and there was no necessity for support from any other party, for the development of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states, both TRS president K Chandrasekha Rao and YSRC chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy should and join NDA, he said here.

The BJP chief Amit Shah has announced if any other party wants to join NDA our doors are open. This is my suggestion to KCR (as Rao is referred to) and Jagan to support leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modiand NDA. To support or not to support is for them to take a decision, he told reporters.

The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment said the Central government was committed to the development of both the states.

Describing Modis leadership as "very strong", he said despite the attacks by several opposition parties, the prime minister led the NDA to an emphatic win.

Asserting that there was no meaning to form another gatbandhan (alliance) now, he appealed to KCR and to support the NDA.

Athawale dismissed opposition's allegation that the NDA government would change theConstitution, saying Modi himself had said a tea-seller would not have become the Prime Minister had Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution hadnot been there.

The Opposition has no other issue left and hence been making such allegations, he added.

The RPI (A) leader also said Modi was not against the Muslim community, pointing to his address to the NDA MPs on his agenda to study the problems of minorities.

Replying to a question on the damage caused to a statue of Ambedkar here in April, Athawaleexpressed his displeasure and said he would write to the Municipal Commissioner to get the matter solved.

The statue, removed by the civic staff after being installed in Hyderabad without permission, was allegedly carried in a garbage truck and found damaged. Two people, including the truck driver, have been arrested.