BJP Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao has said there is no point in pleading with the Central government to give Special Category Status (SCS) for A.P. as it is a closed chapter.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy seemed to have sought SCS afresh on a new letterhead hoping to secure what the TDP government had failed, Mr. Narasimha Rao said while addressing the media here on Thursday.

Moreover, some decisions of the YSRCP government were like those that had brought the downfall of the TDP, he observed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman knew the requirements of Andhra Pradesh, and they were committed to helping the State in achieving all-round development, he said.

The State government should cooperate with the Centre, and not put forth demands that could never be conceded, Mr. Narasimha Rao said.

The Central government had made it clear that SCS was impossible and conveyed the same to former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

“Now, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is raking up the issue again instead of focusing on extracting maximum financial assistance from the Centre through other means,” Mr. Narasimha Rao observed.

The YSRCP government should remember that the TDP had paid a heavy price for its mistakes, and draw lessons from it.

Polavaram project

The BJP leader said the “massive irregularities” in the execution of the Polavaram project was discussed in Parliament.

The Centre was willing to fully support the State in completing it, he added. Similarly, the Central government would do the needful for the construction of a port at Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district, which did not make any progress due to the non-cooperation of the TDP government.

‘Historic decisions’

On the J&K issue, Mr. Narasimha Rao said abrogation of Article 370, which had given it special status, and bifurcating the State into two Union Territories (Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh) were historic decisions, Mr. Narasimha Rao said.

Even non-BJP parties welcomed the decision to scrap Articles 35-A and 370 and reorganisation of J&K, he claimed.

The Centre had passed several other important Bills such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention, National Investigation Agency (Amendment), National Medical Commission, RTI (Amendment) and Triple Talaq, he added.

Double-decker train

The Ministry of Railways would soon introduce a double-decker Uday Express between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada (five days a week), Mr. Narasimha Rao said in a release.

The BJP leaders said he had written a letter Railway Minister in June seeking that a train be operated between the two important cities of the State.