BJP mulling to return illegal stash confiscated by ED to poor: Narendra Modi says corrupt close to Congress first family

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Criticising the Congress and the I.N.D.I.A alliance for blaming him for using the Enforcement Directorate to unearth ill-gotten wealth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was mulling a legal framework to return such stash to the people of the nation.

Addressing an NDA public meeting organised by the TDP-JSP-BJP combine in Rajamahendravaram in Andhra Pradesh on Monday, he said that in Jharkhand the ED found Rs 25 crore unaccounted cash at a Government official's orderly’s residence.

“Earlier too the ED unearthed a huge stash of cash from one MP. All these people are close to the first family of the Congress. Is that a supply line or meant for the first family, Rahul Gandhi should answer,” Modi said.

“I am taking legal advice. So far Rs 1.25 lakh crore has been collected. I am looking into the possibility of returning the black money to the people. Earlier I returned Rs 17,000 crore to people. This is Modi’s Guarantee,” he said.

Sharing the dais with JSP’s Pawan Kalyan, Nara Lokesh of TDP, and D Purandeswari of BJP, the Prime Minister called upon the people of Andhra Pradesh to ensure that they vote and support the NDA on May 13. “This time, Andhra Pradesh has with it, the Modi's Guarantee. Make our candidates win, and see the development is ushered in by the double-engine Government,” the PM said.

He urged the people of Andhra Pradesh to refrain from the negativity of the Congress and the YSR Congress and support the NDA. “Today, India is making rapid development by walking on the stupendous path of 'Reform, Perform and Transform'. Your one vote can transform troubles into opportunities,” he observed.

The whole world was optimistic about India, but the YSRCP Government here delayed central projects and derailed development. “Andhra Pradesh is blessed with energy and talent. The whole world recognises Andhra Pradesh's prowess in technology. Today, when India is making big strides, so should the state of Andhra Pradesh,” he pointed out.

Narendra Modi said that NDA partners were poised to create records wherever simultaneous elections were held in the nation, including Andhra Pradesh. “Congress already agreed on defeat. People rejected YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh. People gave five years but it failed to develop the State. When Nara Chandrababu Naidu was there, AP was on top of development. YSRCP derailed the State. Instead of development, they pushed the State into a debt trap,” he said.

Blaming YSRCP for resorting to corruption through liquor and sand mafia, he said that the YSRCP failed to build at least one capital while promising three capitals for the State. “Instead, they started looting the State and the State treasury is empty now. They can manage corruption, but not financial management, because their aim is not serving people,” Narendra Modi said.

Assuring the people of Andhra Pradesh the Centre would help complete the Polavaram project the lifeline of AP, he said that already Rs 15,000 crore was given to the State but the project was yet to take shape. They (YSRCP) can only manage corruption, he said.

He said that farmers were facing irrigation problems, and paddy procurement issues due to lack of MSP. “NDA after June 4, will solve all such problems. NDA treats AP as an integral part of the national development plan,” he added.

He said that the NDA double-engine Government would speed up the Amaravati-Vijayawada and Hyderabad highway link, the Vizag-Chennai industrial corridor, the Chennai Kolkata corridor, Rajahmundry Airport, South Coast Railway zone in Visakhapatnam. He said that the Kakinada port-fishing harbour linkage would help the local fishermen to fetch better marketing options.

Recalling NT Rama Rao, the great actor turned politician who earned his name by acting as Rama and Krishna in movies, Narendra Modi said that the Congress party abstained from attending the inaugural of Ayodhya temple said that the Congress even removed several of its leaders for having darshan at the temple.

Earlier, Pawan Kalyan touched the feet of Narendra Modi and sought blessings. The JSP chief said that the people of AP had decided to walk with Narendra Modi this time as lakhs of young people wanted to enjoy the fruits of development brought by the NDA Government elsewhere in the country.

TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said that the young people of the State were looking forward to bringing NDA for better job opportunities.

Later addressing another NDA public meeting at Anakapelle along with TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, and Nagababu of JSP, Narendra Modi exuded confidence that NDA would form Government at the centre and in Andhra Pradesh.

Terming YSRCP as synonymous with corruption, he said that the State Government had not allocated suitable land for the new railway zone to be established at Visakhapatnam.

“Jagan Mohan Reddy’s father YS Rajasekhara Reedy started the ‘Uttarandhra Srujala Sravanthi’ project and so far the project is not completed. The local sugarcane farmers are facing crisis and the sugar factories are facing closure,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that the NDA Government at the centre initiated an Ethanol project that would generate Rs 80,000 crore for the sugarcane farmers. He said that his Government established a separate ministry for fisheries and launched several schemes to provide financial support to fishermen.

He called upon the people of the State to free AP from sand, land, and liquor mafia and elect NDA at both the Centre and the State.