Kakinada: Endowments minister P. Manikyala Rao lashed out at Pradesh Congress president N. Raghuveera Reddy alleging that the Congress was primarily responsible for AP not getting special status as it had changed the guidelines to the 14th Finance Commission during the UPA regime.
He said the people and the BJP cadre should corner Mr Raghuveera Reddy for bringing AP to this pathetic situation with its improper bifurcation of the state.
He was speaking at a BJP district executive body meeting here on Thursday that was chaired by party district president Y. Malakondaiah.
Mr Manikyala Rao said that the Congress was making a big issue of special status and exhorting people to criticise the BJP. “In fact, the Congress is responsible as it has not prepared the ground for giving special status to AP and it was not included in the AP Reorganisation Act. Therefore, the people should corner Mr Raghuveera Reddy.”
He also said that BJP desired bifurcation of the state and was committed on the stand, though there were many pressures on the party during the Samaikhyandhra agitation.
“The BJP used to talk to the people on bifurcation of the state as it would develop well. Now, it has come true as the Centre has sanctioned Rs 1.40 lakh crore to AP and allocated several national institutes to it.
The BJP government merged some of the mandals from Telangana to AP to clear the way for construction of Polavaram project,” Mr Manikyala Rao said.
He called upon the BJP cadre to strengthen the party on ground level by organising a campaign on the Central government's schemes and attract the people to the party.
He said that the party was giving training on the central government schemes and would select five members from each mandal. These members would
give training to other cadre.
Former BJP District President Vetukuri Suryanarayana Raju said that nearly 360 members would be given training from 74 mandals of the district. Presiding over the meeting, BJP district president Malakondaiah said that the Central
government should sanction more projects to AP.
