TDP will continue to fight for special status to Andhra

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said TDP would continue its struggle till the central government accords special status to the state.

Addressing a meeting of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Vijayawada, he said Andhra Pradesh's case for special status was different.

He stated this a day after the central government made it clear that there is no question of according special status to any new state in the present circumstances.

Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Rao Inderjit Singh told Lok Sabha on Friday that no state will be given special status.

The TDP chief, however, said the minister's statement was based on the report of the 14th Finance Commission. "This does not apply to Andhra Pradesh as it's an entirely different case," Naidu said.

The chief minister said the state was not divided by the previous UPA government in an equitable manner. He said justice was not done to Andhra Pradesh and hence special status was being sought.

He made it clear that TDP, which is a partner in National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the centre, will continue its efforts to get the special status for the state.

The meeting paid tributes to former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and also the pilgrims who died in a stampede during Godavari Pushkaram in Rajahmundry last month.