Vijayawada: Amidst protests by Speceial Catgory Status ‘activists’ in Vijayawada, BJP and Telugu Desam activists accorded Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu a grand welcome, here on Saturday. A huge rally, with thousands of students and activists taking part, was organised from Gannavaram airport to the felicitation centre venue. Meanwhile, CPI and CPM activists were arrested by police when they were protesting against the visit of the Union minister, who came to participate in a function organised to felicitate him after the Centre announced Special assistance to AP.
Addressing the gathering at the felicitation function, Venkaiah Naidu said that he was aware that that special category status may not the possible. “There will be no special status but only a special package, special attention and special focus on Andhra Pradesh,” he said. “Almost all surveys in India are saying that the Narendra Modi government will return to power for another term. So, nothing will happen to the BJP if any partner wanted to leave the alliance,” he claimed.
Venkaiah Naidu added that the Opposition parties were demanding the TD leave the NDA which he said would not be beneficial to the state. Venkaiah Naidu suggested that the state government should understand the commitment of Modi towards Andhra Pradesh and reiterated that without help from the Prime Minister, AP cannot move forward in terms of development.
He countered the allegations levelled by the Opposition regarding special status saying that under the UPA government, Congress leaders had shown their smartness in drafting the bifurcation Bill without stating anything in particular regarding the establishments of national institutions. Under 13th Schedule, it was mentioned that the government will look into the possibility of setting up several institutions like AIIMS, IIT, IIM, steel plant etc.
He claimed that, till now the Centre has spent Rs 2,25,380 crore on the state and eight of 13 national institutions are under construction. Venkaiah Naidu claimed that that regarding the merger of seven mandals of Khammam into AP for construction of Polavaram project, he had convinced President Pranab Mukherjee to sign the ordinance.
