The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has been going all out to ensure that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government knows exactly how angry and disappointed they are that Andhra Pradesh has not been accorded Special Status.
On Friday morning, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu took out a cycle rally from Venkatapalem village to the state secretariat in Amaravati, along with the members of the Cabinet, MLAs and MLCs.
#WATCH Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu leads cycle rally to Secretariat, demanding Special Category Status for AP from Centre pic.twitter.com/wIN62FD5Hj
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
According to ANI, Chandrababu garlanded the statue of NT Rama Rao before he began the rally.
The TDP exited the NDA government last month after the Centre justified why the state could not be given Special Category Status.
The TDP has been demanding the Centre fulfil all the commitments made to it at the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. TDP ministers in the NDA government resigned from the Union Cabinet on March 8, and the party exited the NDA government on March 16.
“If Parliament is adjourned sine die today, our MPs must meet the President. The BJP is practising divide and rule. Already the people of Andhra Pradesh are not accepting the BJP. Soon, there will be a day when the BJP will not be accepted in the entire country,” Chandrababu reportedly said.
TDP MPs have been protesting in Parliament over the promises made to the state at the time of bifurcation. Some of the placards they were seen holding read ‘Save Andhra Pradesh’, ‘We want steel plant at Kadapa’, ‘Implement AP Reorganisation Act Commitments Announce Railway Zone’, ‘Follow Alliance Dharma’, ‘We Demand Special Status for Andhra Pradesh State’ and ‘Keep your promises’.
The party even tried to pass a no-confidence motion, but were not able to do so as the House was repeatedly adjourned due to ruckus.
During a press conference held earlier this week, Chandrababu said the alliance with the BJP was because the state needed "hand-holding from the Centre".
Had they given us Special Status within the first year, I would have saved Rs 3,000-5,000 crore. I want to place all this on record. I waited for four years. (But) they didn't mention any word in their Budget about Andhra they did not even show concern.,” he said.