Why is Chandrababu Naidu tight-lipped on special status for Andhra, asks YS Sharmila

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila on Monday questioned why NDA 'kingmaker' and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is not opening his mouth on Special Category Status (SCS) for the state.

Sharmila demanded that the TDP supremo must answer the people for being tight-lipped on SCS.

"Nitish Kumar resolved and put forth the SCS demand for Bihar before Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) but Naidu is not even opening his mouth on SCS for AP (Andhra Pradesh)," said Sharmila in a press release.

Reminding that Naidu is a 'kingmaker' of the NDA government at the Centre, she asked if he "doesn't know" that capital-less state Andhra Pradesh is "more backward than Bihar".

"Don't you remember the days of demanding 15 years status (SCS) and you (Naidu) yourself said that the state regressed 20 years," said Sharmila.

Further, she wondered why the CM is not 'threatening' to withdraw support to the Centre if it doesn't accord SCS to the southern state.

The Andhra Pradesh Congress chief advised Naidu to adopt a resolution in the Legislative Assembly for the SCS and put forth that demand before the Centre.

Sharmila noted that SCS is the only way forward for the southern state's development, but not special packages.