Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he was undeterred by the offensive that BJP leaders have threatened to launch on the Andhra Pradesh (government and asserted that their brand of ‘divisive politics’ that succeeded in Tamil Nadu would fail here.
He vowed to keep the fight going for Special Category Status (SCS) which was the State’s right.
Participating as chief guest in the Telugu New Year Ugadi (‘Sri Vilamba Nama Samvatsaram’) celebrations organised by the Department of Language and Culture at Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetram on Sunday, Mr. Naidu reiterated that he did not ask for anything beyond what was promised under the A.P. Reorganisation Act (APRA) and the assurances that were given on the floor of the Rajya Sabha in response to demands raised by M. Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley but the BJP backed off from its commitments.
Moreover, in what was an affront to the people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Jaitley belittled the public sentiment and went to the extent of spreading the falsehood that the State government’s conduct was as if it did not mind asking for funds allocated to the defence sector.
Slams YSRCP, Pawan
Mr. Naidu said the YSR Congress leaders were trying to get corruption charges levelled against them dismissed by getting close to the BJP and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan changed his stand overnight and launched a tirade against the State government after keeping quiet for four years instead of questioning the Centre for cheating A.P.
“Whatever be the hurdles in our path, let us strive together for development and prove that the people of A.P. can retaliate and get their wishes fulfilled,” he exhorted. Earlier, Sanskrit scholar and astrologer Prabhala Surbrahmanya Sarma from Rajahmundry did the ‘Panchanga Pathanam’. He predicted copious rains and said there would be some political upheavals at national and State levels but would not have much impact on both the governments.
Ravuri Venkata Vara Prasad from Guntur did the ‘Vyavasaya Panchanga Pathanam.’ Towards the end of the programme, Mr. Naidu gave away ‘Kala Ratna Ugadi Puraskaralu’ to artists and persons from other walks of life. Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao and Deputy Mandali Buddha Prasad and Nara Bhuvaneswari were among those present.
