YSR Congress leaders lashed out at Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday, accusing him of compromising the interests of the State by not exerting pressure on the Union Government to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
Kurnool MP Butta Renuka, Kurnool legislator S.V. Mohan Reddy and former Member of Parliament Ananta Venkatarami Reddy asserted that Andhra Pradesh needed to put up a strong case because the Narendra Modi Government was looking down upon the State Government.
Speaking to mediapersons here, they asserted that a Union Cabinet decision would suffice to grant special status to the State.
Approval of the 14th Finance Commission and Niti Aayog were not mandatory. They charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Chandrababu Naidu with toying with the aspirations of the people of the State.
Asked about the Central leaders’ assertion that Andhra Pradesh was not eligible for special status, they said Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu must categorically state why he raised the demand in Parliament before bifurcation if there was no scope to grant it.
Special package sought
They demanded a special package of Rs. 25,000 crore for perennially drought-prone Rayalaseema region over a five-year period.
The State would suffer further if special status was not granted, they maintained. Special status would help the state get 90 per cent grant for irrigation projects from the Centre, besides spurring industrial growth and generating employment for youth, they added.
Special status was not being granted owing to political reasons, the remarked.
