No row with BJP if Centre fulfils promises, says Chandrababu Naidu

Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said there are no differences between the TDP and BJP if the BJP-led NDA government fulfils all the assurances listed in the AP Reorganisation Act 2014.

Laying foundation stones for six major national highway projects in Visakhapatnam district on Friday along with Union Minister of Shipping Nitin Gadkari, Naidu said the issues mentioned in AP Reorganisation Act, Special Category Status (SCS), Railway Zone and Polavaram Project have become sentiment of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

Explaining the requirements of the state to Union Minister, Naidu said the Centre has to fulfil all the promises in the bifurcation act including SCS for five-years, railway zone and immediate sanction of funds for Polavaram project. 

Even, the TDP and BJP jointly sailed together for four years, the differences between the two parties cropped up as the Centre failed to honour the promises in the bifurcation act, Naidu said and added the TDP would work towards satisfaction of people interests.

“If the Centre releases funds in time, the Polavaram project will be completed by February 2019. Once, the Polavaram project completed, water will be supplied to Tamil Naidu also. The project also facilitates to curb 3,000 TMCs of water being wasted into Bay of Bengal. Politics and development are different. The TDP is committed to development and welfare of the state,” Naidu said.

Addressing the gathering, Nitin Gadkari said the Centre has been giving utmost priority for the development of Andhra Pradesh and under Sagarmala, major national highway works have been sanctioned to Andhra Pradesh only. Reiterating that the Centre would always support Andhra Pradesh, he said with the new national highways, the state would register new growth in coming days.

Anakapalle MP M Srinivasa Rao and Minister Ch Ayyannapatrudu explained the importance of announcing Special Category Status and railway zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters to the state.

Earlier, the Chief Minister and Union Minister jointly laid foundation stone for six-lane highway projects including capacity augmentation of existing four-lane road from Itchapuram to Narasannapeta, 6-lane of Narasannapeta to Ranasthalam in Srikakulam district, 6-lane road of Ranasthanam to Anandapuram and 6-lane highway from Anakapalle to Anandapuram junction.