YSRCP continuing demand on Special Category Status: Sajjala

Amaravati: Status quo has been continuing on the Special Category Status, between the YSRCP and BJP, said the Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, Government Advisor (Public Affairs) and YSRCP senior leader. While interacting with the journalists at a Meet the Media programme organized by APWJF in Vijayawada on Wednesday, he spoke on many issues and revealed the plan of action of the YSRCP government.

Continuing his statement on the Special Category Status, Ramakrishna Reddy said that there was no compromise on it from the YSRCP government. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been firmly raising the issue at every occasion. Jagan asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accord SCS to the State, during his recent visit to New Delhi. Though there was no change in the thinking of the Union Government on this issue, the Chief Minister has been striving to put the issue in limelight at every occasion. The idea behind asking the SCS is if it is in discussions, then at one point in time, the central government would be convinced and give it to the state, Ramakrishna Reddy elaborated.

He further said that then Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu utterly failed in getting the SCS to the State, despite hopes from the public. At the same time, he maintained that the SCS is a right of the Andhra Pradesh and there is no question of leaving the issue.

Reacting on the specific assurances to the State from the Centre during the meeting of the Chief Minister with Prime Minister and others, Ramakrishna Reddy said that the entire tour was successful. The Prime Minister and others reacted positively towards the requests of the Chief Minister on clearing the financial dues and others.

He hoped that the realestate sector will boom within the next six months. Already the government addressed the sand problem, which showed a negligible negative impact on the realestate sector, he observed. The TDP blindly attributed vested interests to the State government on the sand scarcity. There was no truth in the criticism of the TDP on it, he added. He further said that the government is getting at least some amount from the sand sales and that will be spent for the public purpose. Jagan is not allowing anyone to fill their pockets by selling the sand, like what happened during the TDP regime, he criticised.

Accepting the different versions, debates and arguments on the proposed three capitals, he said that the government is committed for the development of the entire state and this will show a speedy growth. He explained that Visakhapatnam as an Executive capital will attract more investments within a short span of time, which is an undisputed truth and everyone is accepting that. By spending a little amount for the infrastructure in Vizag, the city will emerge as one of the major cities in the country and would compete with cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai. On the other hand, there is a feeling among all the Rayalaseema region people that they got injustice and pushed back in the development arena from last five to six decades. As per the demand from the region, the government is proposed the High Court at Kurnool.

Ramakrishna Reddy said that the YSRCP will not implement any adverse decision which hurts the sentiments of Muslims and other minority community in the State, while reacting on CAA, NPR and NRC. He said that when the YSRCP supported the CAB, at that time we thought that it was only for national interest. But now, after going through the provisions in the NPR and NRC, the YSRCP has taken a decision not support it, he explained.

He said that the Chief Minister has been striving for both welfare and development of the state, despite huge financial burden. Then CM Chandrababu Naidu increased the debts from Rs. 90,000 cr to Rs 2.60 Lakh Cr., he said.

Rachhabanda will be commenced shortly, he revealed.