NDA constituent Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today warned the government in the Rajya Sabha that it will continue its protest until its demand of special category status to Andhra Pradesh is accorded at the earliest.
Raising the issue during a debate on the Budget 2018, TDP leader C M Ramesh expressed anguish that the party had allied with BJP hoping that all promises made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act would be implemented.
People in the state have run out of patience as none of the promises have been implemented fully so far, he said and added the state has become backward after bifurcation and was in a dilapidated condition.
Be it sanctioning of the Vizag railway zone, setting up of petrochemical unit at Kakinada port and Kadapa steel plant, establishing two more educational institutions -- nothing has been provided despite several reminders by the state chief minister and MPs, he said.
Even the work of the proposed Visakhapatnam-Vijaywada Metro, sanctioned earlier, has not yet begun, he added.
"Congress did bifurcation in a hasty manner. We supported BJP thinking they will fulfill the promise. ...After the state formation, our CM met 22 times requesting the centre to implement the Act. Still, there is no clarity...," he said.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitely had in 2016 promised of giving a special category status to the state. "Still, it is not implemented. We don't know when it will be implemented."
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in Tirupati promised of giving support for building the capital city. "Till now, no funds have been given," Ramesh said.
Expressing anguish that even the Budget has not done justice to AP, he said "That's why we are protesting. This is disrespect to Telugu people.
"We won't be patient. We want clear decisions. We first want special category status. All promises made in the Act should be implemented...Until we get, we won't stop our protest. We will not sleep," he said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
