New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu along with TDP MPs and MLAs met President Ramnath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Tuesday and raised demand for special status for the state.
The delegation marched from Andhra Pradesh Bhavan to Rashtrapati Bhavan and presented a memorandum to the President with 18 demands, including the Bifurcation Act promises and special status to the state.
“We met the President and apprised him of our demands. The central government has ignored the Andhra Pradesh bifurcation act promises. Modi government is passing the time without releasing grants to the state.
“For the development of Hyderabad there has been a struggle for 60 years and today it stands as a world-class city. On seeing the injustice done to Andhra Pradesh many people went into depression and recently a physically challenged man Arjun Rao has committed suicide over the special status not being granted to the state,” Naidu said at a press conference.
He said that a possibility of pre poll alliance with opposition parties cannot be ruled out.
“Nothing is decided yet but possibility of a pre poll alliance with opposition parties cannot be ruled out,” he added.
Bringing his battle for special status for his state to the national capital, Naidu on Monday went on a daylong fast that became a rallying point for opposition unity for the second time in less than a month to take on the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties, has over the last three months held a number of meetings with opposition party leaders on forming an anti-BJP front. The TDP pulled out of the NDA government in March last year over its refusal to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh.
Demanding that the Centre fulfil promises made during Andhra Pradesh’s bifurcation in 2014, the TDP president has been alleging that Modi was not following ‘raj dharma’ by denying the state special status
Also read: Chandrababu Naidu sits in protest for Andhra, opposition joins in to show anti-BJP unity
There is no justification for special category status to Andhra Pradesh. For many reasons, not the least of which is that there is no fiscal space for it. There was no reason to undertake a Lutyens style creation of a new capital, whose economics are struggling amidst a slump in real estate., to which the model of land acquisition is tied. An existing city could have been upgraded, with Hyderabad serving – like Chandigarh- as an interim, shared resource.
you don’t have any idea about what you are talking. Special category status was demanded by BJP leaders Venkayya and Jaitley in the parliament. MMS agreed to their demand and promised it in the same parliament. Modi also promised it when he campaigned in Andhra. Obviously people will ask what was promised and blaming them is no use. Modi will surely pay big for going back on his promise.
And the new capital is a new city that is being developed. It is also nothing but extension of Vijayawada as you mentioned. and Andhra people has every right to want a great capital city that can rival any other city in India. The AP reorg act mentioned that Central govt will help in the development of capital city. Again Modi promised that he would help developing a city better than Delhi. Yes, Andhra is not expecting Modi will bring moon but some help should have been provided. When Modi is spending Rs 25000 cr for a convention center in Dwaraka, Can he give that much money for developing a city? Convention center will harly create 100 jobs where as the same money for AP capital would create at least 50000-100000 jobs.
It is not about what who wins or who loses but about making the leaders keep their promises. The split was forced upon the people of Andhra against their wishes and now if the promises are also not kept, Andhra people will start asking hard questions.