Special status for Andhra remains a closed chapter

Vijayawada: The simultaneous elections to the Assembly and Lok Sabha in Andhra Pradesh is being conducted this time without any specific promise to grant Special Category Status (SCS) by the major political parties barring the Congress, which only appeals to voters to elect 25 MLAs and five MPs from the State and give an opportunity to Rahul Gandhi to become the next Prime Minister.

SCS was promised by the UPA-II government in 2014 on the last date of Lok Sabha session in lieu of injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh without any capital post-bifurcation. At that time, BJP, which promised special status, post-polls ruled it out; the XIV Finance Commission had recommended not to give special status to any State.

The 2019 elections were fought over the demand for SCS with the main contender, YSR Congress Party, which was in the Opposition at that time, then promising to exert pressure on the powers-that-be if they were given an opportunity to have a larger representation in the Parliament. After forming the government under the leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the demand confined only to representations being submitted to the Centre during talks on pending projects and promises made at the time of bifurcation.

TDP, which was part of the NDA coalition during 2014-18, snapped ties with the BJP-led front under the pretext of outright rejection of the demand after a promise of a special package. However, the demand was forgotten at the recently held Chilakaluripet rally held by the NDA with an address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the time of his return to NDA, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu did not make any conditions for his re-entry. He only made a statement that in the larger interests of Andhra Pradesh, he decided to join the NDA. On the other hand, Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party, which played a key role in bringing TDP to the saffron fold, said a joint fight has become inevitable to vote out Jagan. The Congress, which has been completely decimated in the State following formation of Telangana with Hyderabad as its capital, failed to open its account in the 2014 and 2019 elections. With her appointment as APCC president, YS Sharmila, estranged sister of Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Congress is trying to revive its lost ground to some extent. At the ‘Visakha Ukku Declaration’ meeting to announce their support to the agitation against privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, said here that he would stand by Sharmila’s fight and asked the voters to ensure winning of 25 MLAs and five MP seats from Andhra Pradesh. He also said if Rahul Gandhi becomes Prime Minister under the INDIA alliance, he would sign the first file granting special status to the State.

Coming down heavily on TDP-BJP-JSP alliance, YSRCP Parliamentary Party leader V Vijayasai Reddy said on X, “By partnering with BJP in the greed to become CM, the TDP led by @ncbn has sacrificed AP’s fight for Special Category Status, allowed for the privatization of Vizag Steel Plant...” While Sharmila described Naidu as a chameleon who changes his colour to further his political moves, Pawan Kalyan said, “Under the dynamic, daring and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we all will be working as responsible stakeholders who will put our best efforts to make AP into a vibrant and robust State in every possible way.”