: The YSR Congress has decided to intensify agitation in support of special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
The party has resolved to stage dharnas in front of the Collectorates in the 13 districts on May 10 highlighting the Chandrababu Naidu-led government’s failure to mount pressure on the the Central government to accord special category status as assured on the floor of Parliament. YSRC president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy would lead the dharna in East Godavari on May 10, while the other leaders of the party would stage demonstrations in their respective districts.
The party took a decision to this effect after Union Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha made clear that there was no proposal to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh as the issue was not included in the AP Reorganisation Act. The party noted that several other Ministers too made similar statements in the past, but the TDP government remained “a mute spectator.”
“TDP should come
out of alliance”
YSRC general secretary Dharmana Prasada Rao reiterated that the TDP should come out of the alliance in protest against the repeated statements of the Union Ministers aimed at watering down the promise given by the previous UPA regime. The YSRC had decided to take to agitation path to mount pressure on the Centre and it wanted the TDP and other political parties to join hands in this endeavour.
“Mr. Naidu should serve an ultimatum and come out of the alliance at least now. The YSRC is ready to extend its support if the government is inclined to launch struggle for achieving the coveted status that will propel the industrial growth in the new State,” Mr. Dharmana Prasada Rao said. Another senior leader —Botcha Satyanarayana —said the State never bothered to highlight the importance of the special status which was approved by the then Union Cabinet and forwarded to the erstwhile Planning Commission. The Chief Minister and Union Ministers , including M. Venkaiah Naidu, batted for special status for 10 years when the Congress proposed it for five years. Mr. Naidu, he alleged, remained silent on the issue as he was unable to mount pressure on the Centre after he was involved in the cash-for-vote episode. Moreover, the Union Government had received a fillip from the statements of the Chief Minister who was keen on obtaining a special package rather than SCS .
“Mr. Naidu is particular about his personal interests rather than fulfilling the State’s interests,” he alleged.
