Notwithstanding Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s umpteen visits to New Delhi to lobby for special category status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh, confusion continues over the Centre’s stand on the issue.
As if to add to this confusion, Union Minister of State for Planning Rao Indrajit Singh on Friday spoke of how along with A.P. and Telangana, Bihar, Odisha, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand were vying for special category status but did not indicate whether the Centre was conceding the demand or not.
In a written reply to a question asked by MPs Kotha Prabhakar Reddy (TRS) and Maganti Venkateswara Rao (TDP) in the Lok Sabha, the Minister made a mention of the requests from the number of the States and the criteria laid down to accord the special category status. This triggered political furore and speculation in a section of broadcast media that the State was unlikely to get special category status forcing Advisor to the A.P. Government on Communications Parkala Prabhakar to clarify that the Centre had not taken any decision over this issue. Mr. Prabhakar told the media that it was the Centre’s responsibility to implement assurances given under the A.P. State Reorganisation Act, 2014 and that the Chief Minister was leaving no stone unturned in getting this status accorded to the State.
Mr. Naidu himself told a meeting of the party leaders and officials that the government would continue its efforts with the Centre in getting fulfilled all the assurances made on the floor of Parliament. He asked them not to go by media statements but to study what the Centre would have to give to the State.
Strong objection
Meanwhile, the ruling Telugu Desam Party as well as the opposition Congress and the Left took strong objection to the dilly dallying attitude of the BJP-led NDA government in granting the status to the State and termed as surprising the written reply given by the Union Minister.
TDP senior leader Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary criticised the Centre for delaying the announcement on the issue on one pretext or the other. APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy said the Congress’ assertion that the TDP and the BJP deceived the Telugu people was vindicated by the Minister’s reply.
Political struggle
CPI senior leader K. Narayana recalled how Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu assured Parliament that the BJP would take the spirit of Dr. Singh’s speech and implement the assurances.
He wanted Mr. Naidu to take up a political struggle. CPI (M) State secretariat member Y. Venkateswara Rao said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should stand by the word given to the people.
