New Delhi: Blaming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to deliver on the demand for special category status, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the Union government is looking for alliance partners that will remain under its control but will not fight for the rights of the people of the state.
Naidu said all political parties should come together to support the demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh because the people of the state feel that injustice was done against them earlier and what is happening now is betrayal.
“They have to tell us the reasons. Once you promise it is an issue of credibility. At the time, the then opposition party BJP demanded, Prime Minister announced... It is the responsibility of all political parties now to support especially Congress and BJP, both are national parties and have to keep that promise. Five crore people in Andhra Pradesh are annoyed and agitated and they are feeling that injustice has been done earlier and now the same betrayal has happened,” Naidu said in an interview with Mint on Wednesday.
While accusing the BJP leadership of “shielding” the opposition YSR Congress Party, Naidu alleged that the regional party is tainted because of various allegations against it.
“There is no pressure with respect to YSR Congress Party. It is a tainted party, so many allegations. Only problem is that the present NDA government and BJP leadership are shielding and promoting YSR Congress because they would be a weak ally. If YSR Congress supports BJP, they will be under their control. TDP is always very assertive for public interest,” Naidu said.
On his first visit to Delhi after walking out of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Naidu emphasized that he decided to come in order to put pressure on the Union government to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
“You are giving (special category status) to 11 states, you had promised that means you are going back on your word. What is the reason? You don’t like Andhra Pradesh or do you see Telugu people, Andhra Pradesh people as very incompetent? They have to answer all these things. They cannot deny and they cannot hurt feelings of the people. People are feeling that this is our right and you have done injustice to us, without our mistake,” Naidu said.
Naidu said that the decision to part ways with the NDA was taken after several rounds of discussions and that it was taken after he was convinced that the BJP was responsible for the injustice towards the people of the state.
“They denied to cooperate, they closed the doors, then there was no other way. Generally, I have lot of patience and I won’t take a decision immediately on anything. I will think twice, thrice then only I take a decision. With all four years in NDA, I have done my best. I am totally convinced that the present government is doing injustice for Andhra Pradesh and it is not acceptable. That is why I took a decision,” said Naidu.
In his two-day long visit to the national capital, Naidu met leaders of several opposition parties. Even though he blamed both the BJP and Congress for the state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh, the chief minister said the BJP bore greater responsibility because it had failed to deliver on its promise.
“I am seeking everybody’s support. Both the Congress and BJP are equally responsible. Sometimes BJP is more responsible. Congress lost elections in Andhra Pradesh, and now BJP is in power. BJP promised, you did not deliver. Now you have to answer, you must be more responsible than Congress now. It is your responsibility because you are in government,” he added.
Anuja and Pretika Khanna contributed to this story.