All parties round table meeting held to grant special status to Andhra

Vijayawada : The special status achievement committee on Sunday met to discuss the Centre's promise to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh, post the bifurcation.

In a roundtable meeting at the IV Palace here, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) national Secretary P. Madhu, Communist Party of India (CPI) national Secretary K. Ramakrishna, APPCC chief Raghuveera Reddy, YCP member Parthasaradhi, among others raised their disagreement with the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

"Special status is completely out focused and refused. We should go forward with the one who supports special status. At least now TDP and BJP should know the importance of special status. We will organise Andhra's self-respect Deeksha from 19th to 28th of this month for special status," APPCC chief Raghuveera Reddy said.

CPM national secretary Madhu said, "We will discuss the future work plan after 6th march. Few parties are busy in playing political games. It was said that the railway zone will be started in four years. Funds raised for education was Rs 9000 crores but only Rs 420 crores were released, if centre gives funds in this way it will take 30 years for the development of AP. Centre is acting by telling that Chandrababu Naidu is careless, and the state is acting in another way."

"Chandrababu Naidu is confusing the public. He is cheating the public in all ways," YCP leader Parthasaradhi said.

Since the state of Telangana was scooped out of Andhra Pradesh, the latter has been demanding that special category status is granted to the state.

Protests in various parts of the state have also been carried, as the BJP-led Central government is yet to deliver on its promise to do the same.