Centre Treating Andhra Pradesh as if it is Not a Part of India, Says Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu

the protests of TDP MPs resulted in adjournment of Rajya Sabha twice on Friday. When the House met for the day and papers were laid on the table, KVP Ramachandra Rao (Cong) walked into the Well of the House holding a banner that read: "Implement Special Category Status, Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, assurance given by PM on 20.02.2014."

New Delhi, Feb 9: Miffed after “inadequate” allocation to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday reportedly said that the Centre led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not consider the state a part of India. Naidu also called a meeting of senior party leaders to decide the future course of action. This is the second time when Naidu expressed his resentment over budgetary allocation to the Southern state in a week.

“The Centre is behaving in such a way that it is making people of AP feel that they are not part of the nation,” TOI quoted CM Chandrababu Naidu as saying. The allocation also triggered a political battle among the alliance partners in Parliament. The leaders of Telugu Desam Party alleged that they have been cornered by the saffron party. [Also read: God Wants me to Warn PM Modi: TDP MP Turns ‘Tantrik’ Demanding Special Status For Andhra]

The tensions between two parties are likely to deliver a blow to BJP ahead of crucial general elections next year. TDP leader and  HRD minister Ganta Srinivas Rao had threatened to move out of the coalition. However, such possibility was denied by BJP leaders. But the leaders of the ruling party at Centre are not happy with constant muscle flexing of TDP.

“Each time you concede their demand, they come up with new ones. There is a limit to how much you can do for one state when you are having to deal with expectations from others too,” said a BJP leader.

TDP Protests adjourned Rajya Sabha Twice

Earlier, the protests of TDP MPs resulted in adjournment of Rajya Sabha twice on Friday. When the House met for the day and papers were laid on the table, KVP Ramachandra Rao (Cong) walked into the Well of the House holding a banner that read: “Implement Special Category Status, Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, assurance given by PM on 20.02.2014.”

A group of TDP members soon joined him with their own placards and shouted slogans like “we want justice.” Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked members to return to their seats so that the zero hour could be taken up.