Congress decries 'begging' by 3 parties for BJP alliance

Vijayawada/Kadapa: The newly-appointed Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) working president N Tulasi Reddy accused BJP of causing immense damage, gross injustice and even cheating Andhra Pradesh and lamented that Jana Sena, YSRCP and TDP were falling over themselves for an alliance with it.

In a statement on Friday, Tulasi Reddy observed that BJP did not grant Special Category Status which could revive the state like Sanjivani, it did not grant at least special package on the lines of package to Bundelkhand to develop backward areas like Rayalaseema and north Andhra, it is yet to release Rs 12,000 crore to the state under revenue deficit. It also did not sanction steel factory for Kadapa, Dugarajapatnam port for Nellore, Visakha-Chennai industrial corridor, Kakinada petrochemical complex. The BJP did not release funds for the completing the Polavaram project, the lifeline of the state.

He pointed out that the BJP merged the Andhra Bank, a pride of Andhra people, with the Union Bank. Moreover, there has been unprecedented level of unemployment in the country and the GDP growth rate had come down, non-performing assets of commercial banks had gone up to Rs 10.45 lakh crore and the debt burden on the Central government had gone up to Rs 99 lakh crore, he said.

Tulasi Reddy said there had been widespread of intolerance and restlessness throughout the country and the main pillars of secularism, democracy and socialism were in peril. Under these circumstances, it is unfortunate that the main regional parties were literally begging for alliance with a party which had been systemically destroying the nation, he said. Moreover, the three regional parties had been supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which is anti-Muslim and secularism, he deplored.

Meanwhile, Congress party workers burst crackers and distributed sweets after the party high command announced appointment of Dr Sake Sailajanath as the APCC president.