“I have sought Prime Minister’s appointment. I am writing letters for meeting Union Ministers. Very soon, I will request them to cooperate for resolving these problems,” Naidu said, addressing a public meeting in Visakhapatnam district. Naidu’s comments came on a day when the main opposition YSR Congress, led by its president and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, held a dharna near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding granting of the special status.
The CPI has called for AP bandh on Tuesday, in support of <g data-gr-id="58">demand</g> for the special status, and the state Congress has also extended its support for the shut-down. A Congress activist succumbed on Sunday to the burns he suffered after he immolated himself in support of the demand at a party meeting in Tirupati on Saturday.
“I expressed my deep anguish on the incident in Tirupati on Sunday. I am requesting all not to resort to sacrifices. If need be, we will take up programmes to win over the Centre. But, if you indulge in tragedies out of emotions, then families will suffer. We will be troubled. I want that to be remembered,” the Chief Minister said.
Naidu’s TDP shares power with BJP at Centre and in AP.
The promise of giving special status to Seemandhra (new Andhra Pradesh) was made by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament during state bifurcation last year. Noting that Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated without a capital city of its own and amid a massive revenue deficit, Naidu said there are many problems and that the Centre needs to help the state till it catches up with neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka on the development front.
The promises made to AP like special status, industrial incentives and financial assistance to <g data-gr-id="54">backward</g> areas would yield various benefits, Naidu said.
“In view of all these, this is a <g data-gr-id="59">newly-divided</g> state and there are <g data-gr-id="63">hell</g> lot of problems. I urge the Centre only one thing. We have neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana. I am requesting the Centre to stand by us till we develop like them. If they stand by us, then we can cooperate fully for <g data-gr-id="61">development</g> of the country,” he said.
The Centre has, indeed, helped the state on various counts, the Chief Minister said.
“Certain things have been included in the (AP) bifurcation act. There are some problems on that. We don’t have systems (infrastructure). Centre needs to come forward liberally. What is mentioned in the bifurcation act...giving special status...and they gave Rs 50 crore each for three districts in north Andhra and four districts in Rayalaseema for <g data-gr-id="64">development</g> of <g data-gr-id="65">backward</g> districts.
“They need to give further financial assistance. Financial assistance is needed for capital city development”, he said.