Chandrababu Naidu: Uniting opposition to save democracy, nation

N. Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday termed his joining hands with other party leaders an attempt to save the nation and democracy, and accused the BJP-led union government of "destroying" institutions like the CBI and the RBI.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his son, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Naidu said the Central government is using agencies like Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to harass political opponents.

Naidu's meeting with the JD-S leaders came a week after he met Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on November 1 as part of his effort to unify the opposition.

"We have joined hands to save the nation, to save democracy... All institutions are (being) destroyed. CBI, the premier investigation agency, is in trouble. Even RBI is under threat," he said.

The leader said the government is using the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department for "controlling opposition" and harassing politicians by "raiding indiscriminately".

The day being the second anniversary of demonetisation, Naidu said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's policies like demonetisation have thrown the country's economy into a crisis that the mammoth note-ban exercise led to the devaluation of currency and trouble in economy.

He also accused the government of betrayal and of not coming good on its promises of special status to Andhra Pradesh. He said that it did not even implement the Bifurcation Act -- the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, under which the state of Telangana came into existence after being carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

"We discussed the future course of action for forging an alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections," Gowda told reporters after the meeting.

The meeting with Naidu was to bring together the "secular forces" in the country, said Kumaraswamy.

"Chandrababu Naidu is working hard, as a co-ordinator, to unite the secular parties ahead of the upcoming general elections. We (Naidu and JD-S leadership) share good political arithmetics and have been friends," the Chief Minister added.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates