TDP Warns Centre On Special Status For AP

In a veiled warning to the NDA government at the Centre, TDP official spokesperson Jupudi Prabhakar has demanded that the Centre fulfill its promise of according Special Status to Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing the media at NTR Trust Bhavan on Thursday, Jupudi said that the TDP and BJP had jointly contested the elections and that the people of Andhra Pradesh had given them a mandate believing the promises made. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had since met the Prime Minister, his ministers and others on many occasions and urged them to fulfill the promise of Special Status in a democratic way. Current union minister Venkaiah Naidu had in fact said in Parliament in 2014 that Special Status to AP should be accorded not for five years but for 10 years to overcome the problems that would arise after the bifurcation of united State.

But some Union ministers were now making irresponsible statements, he expostulated, and said that the TDP government would fight for Special Status for the State. Prabhakar said that though the TDP had the capacity to start a people's movement to mount pressure on the Centre, the Party wanted to achieve it by negotiations. He said that Andhra Pradesh was not ready to miss out on Special Status.