Condemning the “hysteric behaviour” of the YSR Congress Party members in the Assembly, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has criticised the main Opposition for seeking his resignation from the post to mount pressure on the Central Government to accord special category status (SCS) to the State.
“This is not an instant decision and I am thinking in the longer term. Where is the guarantee that projects like Polavaram, which is a lifeline to the State, and the financial assistance assured to the State will be implemented if my party severs ties with the Central Government?” he asked.
Launching a broadside against Leader of the Opposition Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at an interaction with the media, he said that in fact Mr. Jagan compromised on the State’s interests during the bifurcation of the State for securing bail. The Opposition members had crossed their limits even after the Government accepted to allow a debate on the SCS issue.
“I said I will make a statement in the House to give first-hand information about the situation of the State after which a debate can follow. But, the members remained unrelenting and are disrupting the proceedings which reflects the attitude of their leader,” he said.
He was also critical of the YSRC for calling a State bandh on Saturday claiming that it would further deepen the troubles of already hurt people. “Do they want to create law and order problems by organising the bandh?” he asked appealing to the people not to entertain such calls.
Asserting that his party would never compromise on the State’s interests, he said the TDP continued its demand for SCS and had been mincing no words whenever representations were made to the Central Government for the coveted status. The Centre had expressed its inability to grant the status, but promised equal benefits to the State through financial assistance and other means.
“Pressure will be kept up”
“We will continue to mount pressure on the Centre to fulfil all the promises made to the State, including special category status, as it will give me leverage. We will insist on handholding the State by granting all incentives and subsidies enjoyed by the special category states till Andhra Pradesh gets level-playing field to compete with other States,” he said. The Government, he said, welcomed the contents of the package announced for the State like the Centre assuring to take care of the entire project cost of Polavaram minus the power plant after thoroughly examining the contents. Several announcements had been made in favour of the State which were hitherto not given to any State.
In addition, the Centre had assured the State to provide all the benefits that came along with the special category status. “Should we not take the benefits assured by the Centre? The State is insisting that the Centre give legitimacy to its assurances by bringing out orders with immediate effect,” he said.
Replying to queries, he said the Centre had assured to bear the entire cost involved in the Polavaram project, including land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement packages.
