LS polls: Rahul Gandhi promises 'special status' to Andhra if voted to power

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday promised 'special category' status to Andhra Pradesh, if voted to power in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

"Giving special status to Andhra is not only a commitment made by Congress and Manmohan Singh ji. It is a commitment made by the country to Andhra Pradesh. It is our commitment that we will give special status to Andhra Pradesh the moment we come to power in Delhi," said Rahul Gandhi while addressing a public rally in Vijayawada.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not fulfilling his commitment of providing special status to the state, Rahul said: "Mr Modi has been Prime Minister for five years and he has not fulfilled this commitment. Frankly, I am surprised that the parties in Andhra Pradesh are not aggressively pushing Mr Modi to give the state what was promised."

Rahul, who has recently introduced his NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) to assure Rs 72,000 to 20 per cent of India's poorest families, said: "I and Congress party will deliver the NYAY scheme like we delivered MGNREGA, White Revolution and Green Revolution. Rs 72,000 a year...I am not Mr Modi, I do not lie. He said he will give you Rs 15 lakh and that was a lie. The Government of India cannot give you Rs 15 lakh in a bank account but the Government of India can give Rs 72,000 a year to the poorest people in India."

The Congress president accused Modi of waiving loans of the rich people like Anil Ambani and supporting fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. "Modi waived loans of rich, but he did not waive farmers' loans. In Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, we waived off loans of farmers within two days. Only Congress can protect farmers."

"People are living in fear under Modi's regime but once we come to power will definitely improve the situation," he added.

Senior Congress leader AK Antony on Sunday announced that Rahul Gandhi will be contesting from Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala in addition to Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls are set to begin on April 11 and will continue till May 19. The 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly will go to polls on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.