AP Special Status: Murali Mohan Threatens To Quit

With the Centre appearing to have refused special status for Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party MP from Rajahmundry and noted Telugu actor Maganti Murali Mohan today said that he would resign as MP if necessary for special status for the state.

Earlier, J C Diwakar Reddy of the same party had raked up a controversy saying that the Centre may not give special status to Andhra Pradesh. This was also known to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Reddy said.

Given that, Murali Mohan's remarks turned the issue hotter. However, Murali Mohan maintained that the Centre would not go back on its promises, and attributed the delay to the Opposition's criticism on the issue. And the YSR Congress was trying to stage a protest only for political mileage, he alleged.

According special status was a sensitive issue and Chandrababu Naidu was trying to get it in a friendly manner without burning bridges with the Centre, he informed, especially given that even if the TDP pulled out of the NDA alliance, it would be of no use as the BJP had a majority all by itself in the Lok Sabha. (NSS)