The Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party (TTDP) has reportedly decided to get a legal sanction for the special package announced to Andhra by the Centre, taking into consideration the recent protests across the state for a special status.
In a meeting held in Amaravati on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, those who had gathered reportedly discussed on raising the issue in the upcoming budget session.
Quoting sources, the Times of India reported that the MPs expressed dissatisfaction at the Centre for delaying the legal sanction to the special package.
"The issue of SCS would not have cropped up had the Centre cleared the legal sanction to the package soon after its announcement. The delay is putting the party in a spot," a senior MP told the newspaper.
Union Minister YS Chowdary, who was recently the centre of controversy after his comment on the special status protests, also addressed the media after th meeting.
“SCS is a closed chapter as per the recommendations of Niti Aayog. That is why, we will insist on legal sanctity to special package,” he said.
This came a day after the YSR Congress Party decided to raise the issue of denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh during the budget session of Parliament.
This was decided at YSR Congress parliamentary party meeting in Hyderabad, which was chaired by party President YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
Jaganmohan Reddy asked his party MPs to raise their voice on the issue in Parliament to bring the pressure to bear on the central government. Stating that the special status is the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh, he remarked that without it, the state will have no future.
The Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh assembly said the special package announced by the Centre, instead of fulfilling its promise of special category status to the state, is no solution to the state's problems.
He alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was misleading the people in the name of special package. Jaganmohan said there was no alternative to special status and asked the party leaders to create awareness among people.
IANS inputs