Only executive order required for Special Category Status: Congress

VIJAYAWADA: The Congress has claimed that Special Category Status can be given through an executive order and that the Congress party will fulfil all bifurcation assurances immediately after coming to power. 

APCC vice-president N. Tulasi Reddy at Vijayawada on Thursday alleged that YSR Congress president and Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was unnecessarily accusing the Congress in the SCS issue. He said that Mr Reddy had, during a public meeting at Palakonda, questioned the Congress about not putting SCS in the AP Reorganisation Act and had held the Congress responsible for the refusal of SCS which was totally false. He said that SCS will be given through an executive order and 11 states had got SCS through an executive order.

Dr Reddy claimed that Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy had reiterated several times about SCS through an executive order but had now changed his statement to provoke the public against Congress showing his dualism. He stated that even the then Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and his BJP government had given SCS to Uttaranchal state in the year 2001.

Dr Reddy objected to the YSRC MPs act of resignation and further boycott of Assembly by YSRC MLAs and alleged that YSRC had failed to fight for the fulfillment of SCS right. He said that only the Congress was capable of giving SCS and fulfilling bifurcation assurances and hoped to get power in the forthcoming elections with the support of AP people.

Recalling the statement of Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy about YSRC supporting the political party which would give SCS, Dr Tulasi Reddy said that this was nothing but political drama and sought a clear stand from YSRC on this issue.