Special status to A.P. hinges on many factors: BJP

Special status to Andhra Pradesh hinged on many factors including consensus among all other state heads in the National Development Council, state BJP’s chief spokesperson Sudheesh Rambhotla maintained.

States including Tamil Nadu aired apprehensions about special package to A.P., as it would mean migration of industries from their respective states. Centre is striving for consensus among other states in the NDC and in case it fails to come about, the State will be compensated through other packages, he said, while addressing a press conference here on Monday.

Centre is closely observing the economic dynamics of the State post-bifurcation to determine the actual revenue deficit and decide on the package to be disbursed.

Responding to APCC chief N. Raghuveera Reddy’s open letters to Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mr. Rambhotla said that BJP was bound by its election manifesto and would deliver on its promises.

Recent fund releases from the Centre only marked the beginning of the assistance and not the end, he maintained.

Reacting to the accusation that the release was meant to attract the Telugu people living in Delhi in view of elections there, Mr. Rambhotla said people of many states lived in Delhi, including of those demanding special status.

“He should have gathered 33 signatures of Congress MPs instead of the one crore as claimed now, for including the special package for A.P. in the A.P. Reorganisation Act. But it was only Mr. Venkaiah Naidu who spoke about it in Parliament,” Mr. Rambhotla reminded.

Instead of writing to Mr. Chandrababu Naidu for Rs.10,000 crore allocations to Polavaram project, Mr.Reddy should request Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to make a representation about the same to the central government, he advised the Congress leader and assured him of discussion on withdrawal of ‘Pattiseema’ Lift irrigation project with the State Government.

He dared the Congress leaders for a public debate on all the issues mentioned in the letters by Mr. Reddy.