Vijayawada: Stating that the BJP had turned vindictive towards Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Sunday that the Centre had destroyed the state on all fronts. Talking to reporters after releasing a White Paper on bifurcation assurances and the status of implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act, Mr Naidu said that it was important to show that the BJP was guilty of not supporting Andhra Pradesh’s development and had instead, created hurdles. He lambasted the TRS for taking a U-turn on the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Naidu said that while he was demanding a rightful share from the Centre as per the AP Reorganisation Act and other bifurcation assurances given by the then Prime Minister on the floor of the House like Special Category Status, the Centre had been trying to intimidate him and his party members by unleashing suppressive measures. He said that TRS president and Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his daughter and Nizamabad MP K. Kavitha had openly supported the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation, but changed their stand just before the Telangana elections. Mr Naidu said that the BJP, TRS, YSRC and Jana Sena have ganged up and are conspiring against Andhra Pradesh.
Mr Naidu lamented that while the state government had submitted proposals and detailed project reports seeking the release of more than Rs 35,000 crore for the construction of the new capital city, the Centre had released only Rs 1,500 crore. He blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not standing by the promise he made when he attended the foundation laying ceremony for the city that the Centre would support the construction of Amaravati.
Mr Naidu said that it was necessary to support or align with either the BJP or the Congress at the Centre for the benefit of Andhra Pradesh. Since the state already had the experience of working with the BJP which had betrayed the state, he had decided to support the Congress which had assured the Special Category Status and the implementation of all bifurcation promises, he added.
