TDP going to adopt wait and watch policy on AP special status: Minister
New Delhi: Union minister from Andhra Pradesh Y S Chowdary on Tuesday said the TDP is going to adopt a "wait and watch policy" on the issue of special status for the state, after the Centre assured Lok Sabha members from AP that the government was looking into their demand.
"People of Andhra Pradesh are agitating for special status for it back home and people's representatives here in Parliament today also raised the demand. Finance Minister (Arun Jaitley) has apparently spoken to Andhra Chief Minister.
"He (Jaitley) and Parliamentary Affairs Minister have also given assurance in the floor of the House today that they will look into the long-standing demand of special status for Andhra," Chowdary said.
The Union Minister of State for Science and Technology was addressing a press conference at the Andhra Bhawan here this evening.
"We (TDP) are part of the government and this is a friendly government and we will try to persuade the government. We have our plans but, we are going to maintain a wait and watch policy as of now," he said.
Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha was adjourned amid an uproar after members of NDA partner TDP and the opposition YSR Congress started shouting slogans demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh. The Lower House had witnessed two brief adjournments over the issue earlier in the day.
"Some members have concerns over particular issues. Government stands by its commitment. We are trying to find a solution to these issues," Jaitley intervened.
But after this assurance, the MPs sought a timeline for resolving the matter and continued raising slogans like "we want justice" and "we demand special status".
Chowdary, a Rajya Sabha member from TDP, on the sidelines of the press meet, told PTI, "People of Andhra Pradesh have been demanding special status for five years now. We have also sought an appointment with the Prime Minister on the matter."
A highly-placed source said, "Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has made several visits to Delhi lately to seek the special status for the state. It is a matter of pride now for us and we will continue our struggle for it.
The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured on the floor of the House during his time of giving the status, the source said.
