Vote for New Bharat, says Modi in Telangana; enlists NDA's

Asking the people of Telangana to vote for a "new Bharat" where the people of the state will also benefit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said the citizens in the country were moving forward sans any fear as the 'chowkidar' has been 'alert.' Addressing a mammoth public rally here, he took a swipe at Chief Minister K Chandrasekar Rao for the delay in forming the cabinet after securing a massive win last year, saying the latter must have been influenced by some astrologer. Rao is said to be a firm believer in rituals and astrology.

The Prime Minister described Rao as the "face" of dynastic and appeasement politics. Launching his Lok Sabha poll campaign in the southern state, where BJP is going alone contesting all 17 seats, Modi said despite abuses and attacks against him, he has steadfastly moved ahead with his development agenda due to the 'blessings' of the people.

"Your blessings allowed me to tolerate all kinds of pressures. That's why I could run a decision-making government," he said. He assserted the NDA government during the last five has left no stone unturned to ensure women's safety and farmers' security, among other things.

The Prime Minister said he was working hard in areas ranging from civic amenities to space, an obvious reference to the country successfully experimenting 'Mission Shakti,' after an 'Anti-Sat' (A-Sat) missile had shot down a low earth orbit satellite, putting the country into an elite club. "On April 11, you are not just going to select an MP or vote for a Prime Minister, but will be voting for a new India, which will be reflective of the aspirations of Telangana," Modi added.

He said bomb blasts used to happen frequently in different parts of the country but except for Kashmir such incidents have now become a thing of the past in the last five years. Attacking the opposition, he said it neither has a leader nor poloicy. "The only think of their families. They will never do good for the poor, Dalits, underprivileged and the marginalised," he charged.

Targeting Rao, the Prime Minister said he took some decisions based on the advice of astrologers. The swiftness Rao showed in advancing assembly polls ahead of its schedule was only matched by long delay in formation of full-fledged Cabinet.

"The reason behind this may be some astrologer", Modi said. On the advice of astrologer (which delayed formation of full-fledged Cabinet), the governance came to a standstill for a long time.

"You tell me whether the people of Telangana will decide the future of Telangana or an astrologer?" he asked. Rao, who led his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to a decisive victory in the assembly polls in December, was sworn as Chief Minister along with one minister on December 13, but had expanded the cabinet more than two months later on February 19.

Modi claimed Rao advanced the polls as he feared defeat. "If it were to be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha, he would have "sunk" as "stars of Modi will shine in April-May".

"Based on suggestion of astrologer, both elections were delinked", the Prime Minister said, adding had the assembly and Lok Sabha elections been conducted simultaneously, a huge expenditure could have been avoided. He also said the alliance between the ruling TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) and AIMIM (headed by Hyderabad Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi) "is not for people's benefit, but for their own." When Telangana was formed, Rao became its first Chief Minister and it led to unlocking of his entire family's "fortune". "But have your fortune been unlocked?", he asked the people.

"You tell me did he (Rao) forget you or not. Didn't he leave you to your fate, for the cause of his family?..