BJP Floor Leader In AP Assembly Hails Naidu Rule

Chandrababu Naidu becoming the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh after the division of the united state was a boon for the people of the residual state, BJP floor leader in the AP Assembly Vishnukumar Raju observed today on the floor of the House.

This is surprising considering that the TDP-BJP alliance is teetering on the brink, and that BJP legislators and leaders of AP are sharpening their knives for attacking the ruling party as soon as the end comes.

Raju went against the tide by telling the Assembly today that it was Naidu who had transformed Vizag into a beautiful city after Cyclone Hudhud had devastated it. He said that he had great respect for Naidu who had a long experience in various fields including politics.

Andhra Pradesh indeed needed justice after incurring colossal losses on account of the bifurcation, he added, and said that the people would not keep quiet if the state was meted out injustice. However, he did stay a BJP man by saying that the Centre was setting up more projects and establishing more institutions than those mentioned in the AP Reorganization Act. He also pointed out that the UPA government did not mention Special Category Status in the Act, and it was promised by the then PM only after then Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu (now Vice-President) raised the issue, he said.

Raju said that the Centre had ruled out special status for AP as per the norms of 14th Finance Commission Recommendation, but was ready to more than make up by extending financial assistance to the state under a special package that would do even more than what a special status would do for the state.

He stated that the interests of AP would be best served through coordination between the TDP and the BJP, and asserted that the BJP would not do injustice to the people of the state.

He also revealed that there were some political reasons for the delay in the setting up of the Vizag railway zone. "But we will surely get the railway zone at any cost from the Centre. Vizag, the Amaravati metro zone projects and the Kadapa steel plant will also be implemented," the BJP leader asserted.