TDP Parliamentary Party to back Congress member’s Bill

The Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party has asked the Centre to release a "balance sheet" on the assistance extended to Andhra Pradesh in the last two years, post-bifurcation.

The Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party has asked the Centre to release a “balance sheet” on the assistance extended to Andhra Pradesh in the last two years, post-bifurcation.

The party wanted the Centre to implement the promises made to the State by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the floor of Parliament at the time of bifurcation of the State.

The party met in New Delhi to discuss the private members Bill introduced by Congress MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao seeking grant of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

The party expressed its resolve to support the Bill as and when it came up for discussion on the floor of the House.

The meeting felt that the assistance extended by the Centre in the last two years was satisfactory to some extent, but several assurances remained unfulfilled.

It was decided to ask the Centre to release a balance sheet on what had been assured and fulfilled till date.

“There is still a long way to go and we are firm on convincing the Centre to implement all the promises made to the State,” party leader Y. Satyanarayana (Sujana) Chowdary said.

Double standards

Mr. Chowdary said the party decided to support the Bill keeping in view the larger interest of the State.

But the Congress was adopting double standards on the issue as was clearly evident from its non-cooperation in ensuring a debate on the Central assistance extended to Andhra Pradesh so far.

The party, however, served a notice under Rule 193 seeking the Centre to allow a debate on the cooperation extended to the State in the House.