Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah on Thursday said the Centre had fulfilled about 90% of the assurances given in the Reorganisation Act to the State.
“Only the BJP can render justice to Andhra Pradesh but not family parties such as the TDP (Telugu Desam Party) and the YSR (Yuvajana Sramika Rythu) Congress. They are working for the benefit of their families, whereas the BJP is striving to improve the living conditions of the general public,” he said, addressing party workers here.
Amid protests from TDP activists, Mr. Shah inaugurated the party’s city office and interacted with the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), before interacting with party workers.
TDP workers staged protests en route, denouncing the Centre and the Prime Minister, while the police cleared the path for Mr. Shah by taking protesters into custody and shifting them to police stations.
“Neither the Congress nor Mr. Naidu have any right to question the BJP’s patriotism. Kashmir became problematic only because of the Congress and now the same party is trying to politicise the terrorist attack on our soldiers. Unfortunately, Mr. Naidu too is levelling charges against Mr. Modi and supporting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan,” Mr. Shah alleged, after paying homage to soldiers who lost their lives in Kashmir.
‘A.P. failed in using funds’
Wondering how Mr. Naidu joined hands with the Congress that divided Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Shah said he [Mr. Naidu] had no right to criticise the Centre and the Prime Minister. “The Centre has allocated 20 educational institutions to the State in the last five years, besides releasing adequate funds for the construction of Amaravati and the Polavaram project. We have allocated the maximum number of houses to this State under the Centre’s programme. The State government failed in spending the funds in the right manner and is now accusing the Centre of injustice,” he said.
Mr. Shah said the Centre had spent ₹55,475 crore to develop the State in the last five years, and had developed the Rajahmundry airport and the Kakinada port with modern facilities.