A day after actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan announced that he would take up the fight for the rights of Andhra Pradesh, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said the onus lies on the successor government to implement the promises regarding special status made on the floor of the House by the previous government.
“It was not a political promise. The assurance was given in Parliament. Hence, it has to be kept diligently,” he said.
The Centre has to implement the special packages announced for Andhra Pradesh. It can’t link it up with the State’s projected share in Goods and Services Tax (GST) and 14th Finance Commission grants. Other States were also enjoying the fruits of the GST and the 14 Finance Commission, he pointed out.
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Mr. Gowda was in the city to inaugurate a jewellery showroom on Sunday. Asked whether the actor would succeed in achieving the special status, he said: “He [Pawan Kalyan] is young and energetic. Why do you suspect his effort?” Incidentally, his son and Karnataka former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy recently met Mr. Pawan Kalyan at the latter’s residence in Hyderabad.
Refuting any political significance to it, Mr. Gowda said, “Nikhil Kumaraswamy is entering the film industry with movie Jaguar and the teaser was released in Hyderabad recently. My grandson has plans to enter Tollywood also. Meeting of Mr. Kumaraswamy with Pawan Kalyan was in that direction only.”
The former Prime Minister did not foresee any necessity for realignment of political forces in the country. Already the realignment took place. The BJP had a comfortable majority, he said.
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Showering praises on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Gowda said the former was capable of developing Andhra Pradesh. It was time to stop lamenting that A.P. had lost Hyderabad due to the bifurcation and make efforts to develop the new State, he said.