VISAKHAPATNAM: Even as TDP MPs continue protests over the Centre’s alleged non- cooperation in the development of Andhra Pradesh, BJP State president K Haribabu defended the NDA government saying the yellow party was a valuable political ally and all differences would be sorted out amicably.
Haribabu, along with BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao and MP Gokaraju Ganga Raju, spoke to mediapersons at the party office in Delhi on Saturday afternoon while furnishing the saffron party’s version of the bone of contention which ran into 27 pages.
“During the meeting held on Friday, two major issues came up for discussion — the revenue deficit AP inherited after bifurcation and the implementation of special package. The issues are being sorted out and the concerns over other promised projects will also be solved amicably,” he told the media.Dismissing allegations that the Centre was treating AP in a step-motherly fashion, Haribabu defended the NDA government by citing the financial assistance released for various Central schemes in the State.
Listing out Central sanctions to AP, the Vizag MP said the Centre would bear all the revenue deficit for the period of the 14th Finance Commission and `22,113 crore would be paid to AP as a grant in five years. The Centre has released `1,269 crore under different heads in the last few days, including `417.44 crore for the Polavaram project. Referring to Dugarajapatnam Port, he quoted Arun Jaitley and said the port was not feasible due to objections by ISRO. “If the State government suggests an alternative spot, we will consider it,” he said. Asked about the ties between the two parties, the BJP State chief maintained that both the TDP and the BJP would remain coalition partners until both the State and Centre have members of both parties as ministers.
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