Sonia Gandhi pushed for special status in NDC: MM Pallam Raju

Kakinada: Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take the initiative to announce special status to Andhra Pradesh by convincing the BJP- led chief ministers on the issue in National Development Council (NDC), suggested the former Union Minister M.M. Pallam Raju.

He told the reporters here on Monday at his residence that All India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi convinced all the Congress ruled chief ministers for rendering support for special status to AP in NDC.

He made it clear that Andhra Pradesh is fit for getting special status as the state suffered heavy revenue and even loss of capital.

The former UPA Gover-nment led by Manmohan Singh has given approval for special status to AP and sent it to the Planning Commission.

Considering all these fa-cts, Narendra Modi shou-ld take a decision on the issue to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh.

He said that if the AP gets special status, it can acquire 90 per cent of funds from the Central government and recover from revenue losses.

He also advised the Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and Mr Chandrababu Naidu to pay attention to getting special status as well as all other issues formulated in AP Reorganisation Bill.

“All that is required is necessary political will and the responsibility on the NDA Government to do justice to AP,” he said.

Speaking about the reservations for forward castes, Pallam Raju said that the policy of reservations should be reconsidered and re-evaluated by the government.

He said that at the time of Independence, the situation was different and Dr Ambedkar had formulated the reservation policy in the interests of nation.

But, after 68 years of In-dependence, the other ca-stes also are feeling that they would lose their op-portunities due to lack of reservations and demanding for it.

He cited the example of Patels in Gujarat, Jats in Rajasthan and Kapus in Andhra Pradesh. He said that former chief minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy appointed a Comm-ission for providing reservations to Kapu community in Andhra Pradesh.

But, later the government led by the CM kept aside the commission.