Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday alleged that the BJP conspired against the TDP and the TRS from working together in Telangana as part of its plan to drive a wedge between the Telugu-speaking States.
Besides, the BJP declared that it had no intention to enter into a truck with the TDP in Telangana. These tactics proved that the BJP developed hatred towards Andhra Pradesh, and had been trying its best to obstruct the development of the State.
Commenting on the YSR Congress Party’s “selfish agenda”, Mr. Naidu said Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was “remote controlled” by the BJP and if he dared to revolt, a repeat of the Sasikala episode appeared to be certain. Mr. Reddy was, therefore, following the dictates of the BJP, Mr. Naidu observed while introducing a resolution on Special Category Status and the implementation of AP Reorganisation Act.
BJP MLA falls in line
Later, the Legislative Assembly passed a resolution demanding that the Union government grant Special Category Status (SCS) and fully implement the A.P. Reorganisation Act. When nudged by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to make his stand clear and told by Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao to avoid a repetition of what the Centre had been claiming, BJP floor leader P. Vishnu Kumar Raju tried to put up a defence on behalf of his party but soon gave in, stating that he had nothing much to say and was therefore supporting it. Moving the resolution, Mr. Naidu said it was sheer negligence of the Centre in delivering its promises that forced the TDP to snap its ties with the BJP and take to the streets against the “deceptive” politics played by its estranged ally. He said SCS was denied in spite of an assertion by the 14th Finance Commission that it was for the Union government to decide. He said that almost all parties including some constituents of the NDA endorsed the no-confidence motion in Parliament, but the BJP opposed it and the YSR Congress Party MPs resigned by then as per their own game plan.
No meeting
Mr. Naidu said apart from reneging on its commitments, the Centre had not even held a single meeting that would sort out the outstanding disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
When Mr. Raju quoted the 14th Finance Commission as having said that all States were to be treated equally owing to an increase in the devolution of funds and that the Centre fulfilled a majority of the promises, Mr. Naidu challenged that he was ready for the matter to be sorted out by any judge, and if the judge found merit in the BJP’s arguments, he would give up his fight.
At one stage, Mr. Naidu questioned what was the difference between BJP and the British, which plundered the country’s wealth and earned huge sums in the form of taxes, and said it was up to the national party to either respect the people’s sentiments or further antagonise them at its own peril.
