Package for Seemandhra a pittance, says Jagan

YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Friday said the revenue deficit in Seemandhra would be huge and the package announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was a pittance.

Addressing a news conference in the national capital, he said Congress undemocratically divided Andhra Pradesh throwing all parliamentary practices to wind to gain some seats in Telangana. He predicted a rout for Congress in Seemandhra.

The MP said he would meet the president and explore legal options to challenge the manner in which the bill was passed in parliament.

Jagan, as he is popularly called, said the prime minister spoke of covering the revenue deficit of Seemandhra for only the first year.

"I wonder what will happen to Seemandhra after the first year. If the revenue surplus Hyderabad is removed, Seemandhra will starve," he said. He said special category status to Seemandhra for five years was a pittance.

"Any industry to be set up in a new region takes three to five years and there will be gestation period as well. The five year status will serve no purpose and it needs at least 15 year special status to get things on the track."

Targeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Jagan compared her 'tyrant' act with that of Adolf Hitler.