AP government hopeful about special status, says minister

Andhra Pradesh government still hopes to get "special status", its minister for finance Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said here today.

"We will continue as partners of the NDA, but in the interest of Andhra Pradesh, we will fight for a special package," he said.

He said that TDP union ministers and MPs also raised the mtter in parliament as well as in cabinet meetings also.

He said that the AP government had urged the 14th Finance Commission to treat Andhra Pradesh as a special case since it was a nascent state.

However, the committee treated it on par with other states, he said.