Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday minced no words as he lashed out directly at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the state's Legislative Assembly.
Naidu, who said that he wanted to remind the PM of the promises he made before the 2014 Lok Sabha election, played clips of speeches that Modi had given in the state.
In a meeting in Tirupati in 2014, Modi had assured the people that the BJP-government, if voted into power, would not only grant Special Category Status (SCS) but also extend it.
Another video played by Naidu, shows Modi attending the foundation stone laying ceremony at Amaravati in 2015, where he assures the public that all the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, would be fulfilled by the Central government.
“As the CM of this state, I am asking questions to the PM, and demand answers from him. I'm demanding answers from you. I'm asking for justice from you. The BJP is cheating the state for temporary political benefit, but this kind of strategy is harmful to the country. Instead of taking up the no-confidence motion, Parliament is being adjourned every day, which is undemocratic. Instead of holding a free and fair discussion, BJP is resorting to tricks to not allow the no-confidence motion," Naidu told the Assembly, after the clips were played.
"I knew BJP would try to put blame on me, so I was careful and prepared to show all records. This is only their tactics to divert from real issue. In future also BJP government will try to blame us for some reason or other and not release funds to state,” Naidu added.
Earlier this week, the TDP President held an all-party meeting in Amaravati to discuss the SCS issue. Both, the YSRCP and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena party, boycotted the meeting and criticised it. The TDP's former ally, the BJP, also abstained from the meet.
The meeting in Amaravati unanimously adopted a resolution, which urged the Centre to fulfil provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and implement the assurances made by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the floor of the Parliament. The leaders also said that SCS was the state's legal right.
Naidu will also visit New Delhi in the first week of April and meet representatives of several political parties and discuss his state's demand of being granted special status.