TDP accuses ally BJP, Modi of ditching state on support

Amaravati: TDP strategically launched attack on BJP in the budget session of Assembly to expose the attitude of the Union government towards safeguarding interests of Andhra Pradesh.  The ruling party members alleged that the BJP was neglecting Andhra Pradesh ‘intentionally’ and not honouring the sentiments of people.

Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, TDP MLA V Prabhakar Chowdary said the TDP had won 30 MP seats while BJP had only two seats. “TDP had played a key role in forming non-Congress governments and, sometimes, national parties had to depend on the TDP to come into power at the Centre,” he said.

He said the BJP  also went to the general elections in 2014 along with the TDP and announced that it would grant Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh and support the state on all fronts. “Even as four years have passed, BJP has not fulfilled any of its promises. People want to know why the Centre is ignoring the needs of people of AP,” he said.

Reading out the statement of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on special package to Andhra Pradesh, Chowdary reminded that during general elections of Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a package of Rs 80,000 crore to it and the Centre announced Rs 18,000 crore to the metro rail project in Bangalore in 2018-19 Budget keeping the general elections in the mind.

“But, the Centre did not give any tax exemptions to AP even it was included in AP Reorganisation Act and did not make any allocations to metro rail projects in the state,” he said. He further alleged that the BJP announced Rayalaseema declaration as part of its ‘secret agenda’ and suggested that the party could make Kurnool as second capital of the country if it had a real concern for the region.

Another ruling party MLA Nimmala Ramanaidu alleged that the BJP was deliberately rejecting the demands of AP reflecting its “feudalistic attitude”. The Centre was not accepting the estimates of CAG on revenue deficit of Andhra Pradesh and released only Rs 3,979 crore against the total amount of Rs 16,000 crore.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs  8,000 crore for the development of Vadodara city in Gujarat but his government gave only Rs 1,500 crore for the construction capital of AP.  Besides, only Rs 1,050 crore had been given for development of seven backward districts of AP.

He also said Polavaram project, which was lifeline to AP, was given only Rs 4,329 crore as against  more Rs 7,000 crore which was spent by state government so far. TDP MLAs Chand Basha and T Aditya also continued the tirade during their speeches against BJP and Prime Minister Modi.