Naidu criticises Amit Shah

A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu garlanding a statue of TDP founder N. T. Rama Rao in Vijayawada on Monday on the latter’s birth anniversary.

A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu garlanding a statue of TDP founder N. T. Rama Rao in Vijayawada on Monday on the latter’s birth anniversary.   | Photo Credit: CH_VIJAYA BHASKAR

BJP president has no locus standi to comment on utilisation certificates, says CM

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party national president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday criticised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah over his comments on utilisation certificates (UCs) submitted to the Centre on Polavaram and other projects. “Mr. Shah has no locus standi to comment on the UCs. It is a matter between the State and the Union governments,” Mr. Naidu said, addressing the second day of the ‘Mahanadu’, his party’s annual plenary being held in Vijayawada.

The TDP supremo was reacting to Mr. Shah’s comments that Andhra Pradesh had not laid a single brick for the construction of Amaravati, though the Centre had released ₹2,500 crore.

Mr. Shah also accused the A.P. government of not submitting UCs.

A day after criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi by calling him “a campaign PM”, Mr. Naidu targeted Mr. Shah, saying, “Who is he to say that UCs of work done at Polavaram and Amaravati are not genuine? In what capacity can he ask? He is neither the Prime Minister nor a Minister.”

Mr. Shah was “just a party president and an MP, and has no right to question the A.P. government on the spending of Central funds. The NITI Aayog has clearly endorsed the UCs submitted by the State government,” Mr. Naidu said.

‘Atrocious allegation’

“Centre-State relations were clearly defined by the Sarkaria Commission. The Centre cannot stop the release of funds to a State on flimsy grounds.”

“It is atrocious to allege that the State government has not even called for tenders for the construction of Amaravati. Tenders for work worth over ₹24,000 crore, including roads and the construction of various buildings over 45 lakh square feet, have been finalised, and work is on in full swing,” the Chief Minister said.