The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday ruled out an alliance with the YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh after reports speculated that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's visit to Delhi and meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders included talks of a tie-up.
Media reports had quoted Andhra Minister Botcha Satyanarayana stating on Friday that the YSRCP would ally with the BJP "if needed.”
Responding to the statement on Saturday, BJP General Secretary and in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs, Sunil Deodhar said, "Both YSRCP and TDP are our political rivals in the state. We only have an alliance with Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party."
Deodhar was speaking to reporters after addressing a meeting of party workers in Visakhapatnam.
Stating that the BJP was very clear on its stand, Deodhar said that it was routine for Chief Ministers to meet with the Prime Minister and other Union Ministers to make requests for grants to their respective states.
Meanwhile, Botcha Satyanarayana also said that his earlier statement had been taken out of context. He told reporters that he meant that the YSRCP had decided to support or oppose the NDA based on the issue, and not that the party would strike an alliance with the Centre.
Earlier this week, Jagan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and reiterated the demand for Special Category Status (SCS) to the state.
The chief minister said that the state government intends to complete the Polavaram project by 2021 and sought assistance for the rehabilitation package for all the families to be evacuated. He said that the total estimated cost of the project turned out to be Rs 55,549 crore while Rs 33,010 crore was needed as part of the relief and rehabilitation package.
Pointing out that the project is yet to get administrative sanction, Jagan called upon the Centre to make special efforts in this regard. He informed the Prime Minister that so far the state government spent Rs 3,320 crore for the project which has to be released by the Central Water Resources Ministry.
The chief minister informed that as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, the Centre had agreed to compensate the state for the financial deficit of Rs 22,948.76 crore. He said that the Centre was yet to release Rs 18,969.26 crore.
IANS inputs
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