Hitting out at the TDP on the Special Category Status (SCS) and the Special Assistance, the BJP on Tuesday said the TDP was confusing the people with its “doublespeak.” The State government had been utilising the assistance on one hand and demanding the SCS on the other hand.
Addressing a press conference here, BJP MP and national spokesperson G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said neither Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu nor the TDP leaders were uttering a word on the benefits the State was receiving under the Special Assistance.
‘Laughing stock’
Instead, they were staging phoney protests and blaming the Centre for their failures. The people were waiting for an opportunity to oust the corrupt government, he said, adding the TDP had become laughing stock with its protests for the Kadapa steel plant and the railway zone.
Releasing documents relating to the Special Assistance and other projects, Mr. Rao said AP was beneficiary of ₹12,072 crore worth Externally Aided Projects (EAPs), which were assured as part of it.
The Central government would repay loans under these EAPs. Seven projects worth ₹17,236 crore were in the pipeline and would be implemented in the next one to two years.
‘Biggest beneficiary’
Also, Andhra Pradesh was the biggest beneficiary of the Sagaramala programme with 104 projects of the 572 across the country being sanctioned to it alone.
The cost of these projects was ₹1.63lakh crore, he pointed out. Notwithstanding, the TDP leaders were levelling baseless allegations against the Central government and the BJP. Neither the TDP leaders nor Mr. Naidu was speaking about the Special Assistance and the projects.
The Chief Minister must apologise to the public for holding false protests, he said.
Mr. Rao said their party’s alliance with the TDP was kind of an eclipse or a dark phase for the national party. Mr. Naidu’s government was eclipse for development in the State and political eclipse for the BJP, he added.