PM Modi greets people on Ugadi

New Delhi: With the elections approaching in Karnataka and also stepping up efforts to make inroads into southern India, where the BJP lost a key ally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a video conference to wish people on the occasion of Ugadi — New Year’s Day for the Hindus of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Addressing a gathering at Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, Mr Modi spoke about the government schemes, ranging from Swachchh Bharat to Mudra Yojana.

On the other hand, BJP president Amit Shah also held a meeting of party’s core group leader from Andhra Pradesh and asked them to spread out in the state and highlight the Central schemes which have benefited the state. Andhra Pradesh ruling party, TDP, on Friday quit NDA over the Centre’s rejection to grant a special category status to the state.

Wishing the people on Ugadi, Mr Modi said, “No words can do justice to the valuable contribution of saints and seers to our nation. For centuries, they have served society with utmost diligence and selflessness.”

As he spoke about the various Central schemes, he also mentioned that the “people of the nation want to see it free of internal weaknesses, not only those based on caste or religion but all those factors which weaken it.”

“There were numerous attempts to hurt our prestigious culture and traditions when India was chained to slavery. It tolerated everything & kept going ahead. What was it that kept it going? Saints like you,” asserted the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, asking saffron party leaders from the state not to get into a confrontationist mode in the state with the former ally, Mr Shah also told them that the BJP needs to explain it to the people of the state that it never wanted the TDP to leave the alliance. Mr Shah also asked the core group to tell people of  Andhra that it was TDP’s decision to quit the NDA despite Centre working for the welfare of Andhra Pradesh and also the “truth” about the Special Category Status.