The main opposition YSR Congress attacked the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday for allegedly failing to deliver on promises made during bifurcation of the erstwhile undivided state, though TDP is part of the NDA.
Speaking on the issue of promises made to Andhra Pradesh during bifurcation of the erstwhile undivided state last year, opposition leader and YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy wondered why the TDP is still part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre if it had not given adequate support to Andhra Pradesh.
"If you feel BJP government has done injustice, why are you (TDP) continuing in the (Union) Cabinet and why are BJP members continuing in your TDP government," Jagan asked. In his response to the Union Budget, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had expressed extreme disappointment due to the Centre allegedly not doing enough on promises made to AP, like providing special status as well as industrial incentives, help to overcome the revenue deficit being faced due to bifurcation of the state and setting up a railway zone in the state.
Reacting on the issue of promises made to AP, Naidu said in the AP Assembly today that he is "pursuing" the matter and that the AP state government would continue to "exert pressure" on the Centre to fulfil its promises.
He recalled that he had visited Delhi six times to "pursue" issues with the Centre, claiming that he had spoken to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today as well. Naidu even expressed "optimism" that the Centre would co-operate with Andhra Pradesh and address its problems.
However, BJP ministers in the Naidu cabinet namely P Manikyala Rao and Kamineni Srinivas as well as BJP MLAs dismissed the charge that the BJP had done injustice to Andhra Pradesh. Manikyala Rao referred to Jaitley's assurance during the Union Budget speech that the Centre would implement promises made in the Bifurcation Act.
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