The “special status’ is generating too much heat in Andhra Pradesh. The remark of union planning minister Rao Inderjit Singh that no state was special, stirred up harnet’s nest in the state. political parties are sharpening their knives to attakc TDP and BJP. The BJP, however, is trying to distance itself from TDP on the issue stating Centre was ready to assist the state in every possible way in lieu of special status. For BJP the special status is a settled matter. 14 th finance commission addressed it and matter is fait accompli.
Rahul Gandhi, who visited the state last week and assured to the people that was ready to visit any place to fight for Special Status, on Saturday telephoned APCC president N Raghuvira Reddy to inform him that he would go to any extent to fight for special status to AP. He said all Congress MPs are meeting on Monday in New Delhi to prepare an action plan. Raghuvira Reddy said APCC would formulate its own action plan.
Even CPM also pitched in. Senior leader Prakash Karat said CPM would fight for AP’s cause.
“Just because special status was UPA government’ commitment NDA is not supposed to deny the much wanted special status to AP. We will fight for it,” Karat said in Hyderabad.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who address party workers in Vijayawada today is said have opined that Andhra Pradesh which faced painful division should not be equated with other states for the application of general fund devolution formula.
“Andhra Pradesh has been divided against our wishes. It was centre who thrust division on us. We were denied capital, revenue, water, power etc. To recover from the division A P needs special status. We want special treatment from the centre. We will continue to put pressure on centre,” he told TDP extended meeting.
BJP however defended the union minister statement. Purandeswri, the rising star of BJP in Andhra firmament, said state’s requirements had already been taken care of by 14 th Fiance Commission. The 14 th Finance Commission had increased to devolution of funds to states up to 60 per cent to meet the growing requirements. And the centre was ready to extend all support to the AP, she told media in Vizag.
In menatime, Anantapur MP J C Diwakar Reddy, who is known for bizarre statements, today said in Vijayawada that chief minister knows it pretty well that the special status was not a realizable demand. “So, we are fighting to get more funds to state of Andhra pradesh,” he said rediculing Pawan Kalyan’s statement that TDP MPs were not doing enough on the demand.
“It seems he has a plan to hit the streets to get special status. We have staged dharnas in parliament, stalled the House and represented many union ministers. If Pawan Kalya is ready to lead us , we would walk behind him,” he said in Vijayawada.