Chandrababu Naidu attacks PM Modi over Special Status row

Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has accused the Centre of being negligent towards the state.

Naidu, who is also the Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) chief, while addressing the meeting said, "PM Modi had promised in three meetings that he would give special status to Andhra Pradesh and rectify the injustice done during the bifurcation. The BJP in its 2014 election manifesto assured 10 years special status for Andhra Pradesh. We have been asking for four years about special status. I went 29 times to Delhi. Even then the Centre has been negligent towards AP. That's why we started 'Dharma Poratam' (fight for justice)."

He said, "Special status is the issue of not an individual, it is the problem of one and all in the state. All parties, mass organisations should fight unitedly for state interests."

The Chief Minister asserted that the development of the state should not be hampered whether the Centre cooperates or not.

The TDP has been fighting against the Centre for the rights of people of Andhra, demanding it to fulfil assurances made in Rajya Sabha including SCS and provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

In March, the party quit the BJP-led NDA alliance over the same.