YSRCP, TDP spar after all-party meet, Jagan's party says latter 'ignoring' Andhra's special status demand

New Delhi: Leaders of the ruling TDP in Andhra Pradesh and opposition YSRCP engaged in a war words ahead of Parliament's Budget session over the issue of special category status for the state and its interests.

The session begins from Monday and will have 19 sittings till August 12.

After an all-party meet convened here by the BJP-led government at the Centre on the eve of the session, the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP accused the TDP of ignoring the issue of special category status and compromising the state's interests.

The TDP, a BJP ally, hit back by blaming the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government for Andhra Pradesh's financial woes, and said the N Chandrababu Naidu-led dispensation will come out with a white paper in a day or two on the financial status of the state which will send "shockwaves".

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who was present at the meeting, took a swipe at the TDP, saying the JD(U) and the YSRCP demanded special category status for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, but "strangely" the TDP kept quiet on the matter.

Like the TDP, the JD(U) is also an ally of the BJP and part of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre.

Briefing reporters on the issues raised by the YSRCP at the all-party meeting, the party's floor leader in the Rajya Sabha, Vijaisai Reddy, said the YSRCP demanded imposition of President's Rule over the law and order "breakdown" in the state under the TDP's rule of a few weeks.

He said eight issues were raised by his party, and the first one was of special category status for Andhra Pradesh.

"It has been our demand right from the day it was promised by then prime minister Manmohan Singh on the floor of the Rajya Sabha. Even today, we demand that the special category status is the only solution. The TDP is completely ignoring the issue... it is compromising with the interests of the people of the state," Vijaisai Reddy said.

He said the YSRCP also raised the issues of Andhra Pradesh's share in the central pool of taxes and states following population control being "punished" in share of revenue. The issue of population as a criteria for sharing of funds must be addressed by the Finance Commission, Vijaisai Reddy said.

He said the party also raised the issue of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, saying it is opposed to any attempts of its privatisation.

"Another very important issue raised was that of lawlessness in Andhra Pradesh and the breakdown of law and order," Reddy said.

He claimed that 490 government and 560 private properties have been attacked, and there have been 1,050 assault cases and 31 murders in 45 days days of TDP rule.

"We have appealed to the government to impose the President's Rule in Andhra Pradesh to prevent breakdown of law and order," he said.

The YSRCP leader said Jagan Mohan Reddy will be in Delhi on Tuesday and hold a dharna against the TDP-led Andhra Pradesh government.

Briefing reporters about the issues TDP raised at the all-party meeting, TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said at the meet, his party made the request to be given enough time in Parliament to raise all issues pertaining to Andhra Pradesh.

"The Andhra Pradesh government is going to release a white paper on the status of finances of the state in a day or two. We want the people of India to have a look at it. It will definitely send shockwaves among the people," he said.

"We want the members to examine the financial status of Andhra Pradesh which has been deteriorating day by day so that whatever demands we are going to make, we want all parties to accept them," Devarayalu told reporters after the meeting.

He also said his party will raise in Parliament issues such as the Amravati capital region, its opposition to the privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and the need for a skill census.

Asked about YSRCP's allegation that the TDP government was ignoring the special category status issue and compromising with people's interest, Devarayalu said, "We are clear, we are not stuck with one or two issues, we have an entire gamut of issues. We will definitely use this opportunity of the coming Budget session to raise all the issues important for Andhra Pradesh." On the YSRCP's charge of lawlessness under the TDP rule, he said, "We should remember they (YSRCP) are trying to run away from assembly session in Andhra Pradesh.

The CM of Andhra Pradesh has said he will answer all questions. Instead of raising issues in the assembly session starting Monday, they are running away from the assembly and are trying to divert attention from the financial mess the state is in." "There is no law and order issue in Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Naidu has made it clear that law and order is the top most priority," he said.