Cong seeks to unite Opp to fight BJP's 'U turn' on AP special

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Jun 02 2017 | 9:28 PM IST
Accusing the BJP government of going back on its promise of granting special status to Andhra Pradesh, the Congress is seeking to unite various parties on the issue who are also likely to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally in Guntur on Sunday.
According to sources, Gandhi has talked to various opposition leaders who are to attend the birthday celebrations of DMK patriarch Karunanidhi tomorrow, and has reportedly asked them to join him in his public rally on June 4.
They said some opposition leaders like Sharad Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Sitaram Yechuri, D Raja have agreed to participate in the rally.
The Congress said the people of the southern state feel cheated by Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu for aligning with the BJP and failed to exert pressure on the prime minister for persuading him for a special package to Andhra Pradesh.
The party leaders from the state say YSRC chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, who got nearly 65 assembly seats and many Parliamentary seats, have also forgotten his resolve to get the state the special package.
On the other hand, the Congress party has no assembly member or Parliamentary representative in Andhra Pradesh, yet Gandhi remembered the promise made by the Congress government and its leadership to the people of Andhra Pradesh, they said.
Gandhi had recently told party representatives that it did not matter if people did not vote for his party, but the Congress would rally all opposition parties and ask them to take up the cause of people of the state.
The Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Commission had provisioned for "special package to be given to the state for five years, which included financial assistance, plus IT exemptions to industries so that newer investments generate jobs."
The Congress is also likely to raise the pitch against BJP leaders and now Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu, who had said in the Rajya Sabha (during the UPA rule) that the special package for the state should not be limited to only 5 years, but extended to 10 years.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 02 2017 | 9:28 PM IST

Next Story