Centre-bashing by Telugu Desam Party irks AP BJP unit

“You (TDP) are giving coalition dharma a burial. It is not in the interests of the state to find fault with each other,” Vishnu Kumar Raju, leader of the BJPLP in the AP Assembly said.

“Who gave AP 24x7 power? Who signed the ordinance on inclusion of seven submerged villages of Polavaram project into AP? Who allotted seven national-level educational institutions to AP? Is it not Narendra Modi?” he asked.

“We should not mislead the public on issues. Yes, just Rs 100 crore was allocated for Polavaram. But remember it was for Polavaram authority and not for the project. Funds for the project would flow under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme at a later date. The special category issue too is still under active consideration of the Centre,” Mr Raju

Apparently referring to the TD MP who said if Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu gives permission, they are ready to fight with the Centre, Mr Raju said, fighting with each other does no good to the state. “Don’t think BJP is hapless and helpless. Nobody should take our cooperative attitude as our weakness,” he cautioned.

Stung by the criticism, a defensive Mr Naidu said he has high hopes about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. “One should remember that AP cannot stand up on its own if the Centre does not extend its help,” he said.

On the controversial Pattiseema project, the BJP leader suggested that an all party meet should be convened to study and discuss the issue. YSR Congress party too found fault with the government on the issue saying it would jeopardise not only Polavaram but every region of the state. “What would happen if our neighbours object to Pattiseema? Krishna delta will suffer, there will be no water to Vizag and it will also affect generation of 900 MW of power. I don’t find any logic in the project which has more disadvantages”Rajendranath Reddy of YSRC said.

But Mr Naidu ruled out backing out of the project saying it would be a boon for the drought-hit areas in Nellore and Chittor districts. He has also refused to convene an all party meet over the project.

Meanwhile, The cold war between alliance partners Telugu Desam and the Bharatiya Janata Party is intensifying in Andhra Pradesh. A day after hitting out at TD for blaming the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for meager allocations to the state, the BJP leaders on Wednesday took strong objection to party cadres being beaten up by TD workers in Raptadu Assembly segment in Ananthapur district represented by civil supplies minister Paritala Sunitha.

BJP legislators lodged a complaint with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday over the same. The Cheif Minister assured them that stringent action would

be taken after the district leadership submitted a report on the incident.