Sharmila fires at BJP in Delhi, seeks immediate nod for special status to AP

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila on Friday came down heavily on the BJP-led NDA Government for its inefficiency in implementing the promises to Andhra Pradesh as per the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, even after a decade of its rule.

Sharmila, along with party senior leaders N Raghuveera Reddy, MM Pallam Raju, JD Sheelam, and former APCC president G Rudra Raju participated in a deeksha before the Dr BR Ambedkar statue in AP Bhavan, New Delhi, to mount pressure on the Centre for implementation of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh and other promises.

What happened to promises, asks Sharmila

Speaking to the media, Sharmila said that prime minister Narendra Modi, who made tall claims during a public meeting in Tirupati to develop Andhra Pradesh on all fronts with the construction of Dugarajapatnam port, Polavaram project and transforming Seemandhra as Swarnandhra had done nothing so far.

“What happened to the implementation of promises? I question on behalf of the Congress party and people. Due to raw deals made with the state, Andhra Pradesh remained without a capital city. Modi made tall promises to the state for his political mileage. None of the promises were honoured by the Centre. Efforts to privatise Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is equal to betraying people of the state,” Sharmila said.

The APCC president said that not even a single MLA or MP from the BJP won the elections in Andhra Pradesh. However, their hierarchy is still prevailing in the state.

‘YSRCP should reveal secret pack with BJP’

“Yet, the regional parties in the state are subservient to the BJP and indulge in shameless ‘gulamgiri,’ she said. “The Congress party is always driven by the best interests of Andhra Pradesh and the BJP has deceived people. Even though, the YSR Congress Party supports the saffron party in all aspects. The YSRCP MPs failed on all fronts and they should disclose the secret pact with the BJP to the people,” Sharmila demanded.

Earlier, Sharmila, along with KVP Ramachandra Rao, called on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar at his residence in New Delhi and sought his support to raise the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh during the ongoing parliament sessions. Later, she also called on CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechurry and sought his support for the Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh.