: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao has decided to insist on voting on the private member Bill he moved in the Upper House seeking Special Category Status and implementation of other promises made to Andhra Pradesh during bifurcation.
Dr. Rao said the matter, which came up for discussion in the Upper House, could not continue for want of quorum and it had been listed for debate on May 13. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Dr. Rao wanted Mr. Naidu to direct his party members in the Rajya Sabha to participate in the voting in support of the Bill. The TDP president should also enlist the support of other NDA partners for the Bill which was of “utmost importance” to the State to overcome the problems it was facing post bifurcation.
The Congress member, in his Bill tabled in Rajya Sabha, had asked the Central government to fulfil the promises like bridging the revenue deficit, providing special financial assistance, liberal financial assistance for the construction of the new capital, time-bound completion of the Polavaram project, special category status for 10 years, expeditious completion of division of assets and liabilities between the two States and constitution of river water management boards. These were the promises that were approved by the UPA government with the support of the BJP, then in Opposition.
“But Ministers like Haribhai Chaudhary are claiming that the Centre had provided adequate assistance and there was no need to grant SCS,” he said.
