Narendra Modi accuses Congress of downplaying Narasimha Rao's contribution

Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused Congress of downplaying the contribution of its own former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, who hailed from Andhra Pradesh, alleging that the "family" had "hatred" for this region.

Addressing a public meeting at Nizamabad, Modi said that people remember the tenure of Rao as a good one but his name does not figure anywhere in the various government schemes. "Against the wishes of the 'family', Narasimha Rao, a son of Andhra Pradesh, became the Prime Minister of the country. His tenure is considered to be a good one. But this family is full of hatred, be it Andhra Pradesh or Telangana. Because of this, even so many years after Rao's death, even flowers are not offered by them on his birth or death anniversary," BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate said apparently targeting the Gandhi family.

He said that a Congress-led government has been in power for the last ten years and it has come up with hundreds of schemes but Rao's name has figured nowhere. "From every state in the country they have wiped out the name of Narasimha Rao," he said.

The Gujarat Chief Minister said that the people of Telangana had got a separate state for themselves because of the sacrifices they made.

"Those who say that they (Congress leadership) gave you Telangana are lying. You have got Telangana through your sacrifices," he said, adding that he had come to assure the people that he would work for their future and solve their problems.