TDP to go public with ‘betrayal’
ANDHRA STATUS Naidu’s party will release booklet in Telugu, Hindi and English listing the implementation status of the Centre’s promises
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Friday decided to go to the people explaining how the alleged injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh by the Centre forced two of its party ministers to quit the Narendra Modi-led NDA government.
The move is aimed at stemming any adverse impact of the pullout decision among the people and to counter the BJP’s claim that most of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, were fulfilled.
An upset TDP withdrew its ministers from the NDA government on Thursday, hours after finance minister Jaitley said it would not be possible for the Centre to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh as the 14th finance commission does not permit it for any state other than those in the north-east and three hilly provinces.
The following day, a meeting — presided by party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu — of the strategy committee decided to launch a mass campaign.
The committee was constituted by Naidu to monitor the political situation in the wake of ministers withdrawing from the Union cabinet, and apprise him of the latest developments.
In the meeting lasting over five hours, Naidu told party colleagues to make people aware that the party ministers were forced to quit due to the Centre’s denial of a special-category status to the state and non-implementation of other promises made in the 2014 Act.
As part of the “awareness drive,” the party is planning to bring out a 50-page booklet, explaining how the NDA government had systematically watered down the promises made during the bifurcation of the state in 2014.
The booklet, which will be in three languages — Telugu, Hindi and English — will list the implementation status of the promises made in the Act. It will be circulated among the friendly parties outside the state to “expose” the NDA, TDP sources said.
“As many as 19 promises
HYDERABAD:
made in the Act are still pending implementation by the Centre. The booklet contains a status report on all these promises,” a senior party leader said seeking anonymity.
“The booklet is a counter to the arguments being made by the BJP leaders that the Centre has implemented most of the promises. Even finance minister Arun Jaitely said except two or three issues, the Centre has resolved all others. This book will expose the hollowness of all these claims,” a party leader said.
After the meeting, the chief minister also addressed the party functionaries for over an hour through teleconference.
He gave them direction on launching “an extensive campaign” explaining to the people how their party had been putting up a strong fight with the central government to achieve the special category status for the state.
“At the same time, we should also explain the developmental and welfare programmes taken up by the government despite the lack of adequate assistance from the Centre,” the TDP leader quoted Naidu as saying to the party functionaries.
The BJP has already announced it would also take up field studies to review the progress of various centrallysponsored schemes and projects taken up with the central assistance in the coming days to counter the allegations of the TDP.