Sharmila urges Jagan, Naidu to mount pressure on Centre on special status

Vijayawada, Feb 7:  Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Y.S. Sharmila on Tuesday urged Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and leader of opposition Chandrababu Naidu to come along in mounting pressure on the Union government to grant Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh.

Sharmila wrote open letters to both the leaders, seeking their support to pass a resolution to protect the interests of the people of Andhra Pradesh for sending the same to the Union Cabinet and the President of India.

In the letters, Sharmila demanded that the state Assembly should discuss and debate the 'injustice' the Union government has done to Andhra Pradesh.

She also appealed to both the leaders to highlight and question the Narendra Modi government over the national project status to Polavaram, new Railway zone with Visakhapatnam at core, funds for backward regions of Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra districts, steel plant in YSR Kadapa district, the Visakha-Chennai industrial corridor, and support for the construction of a new capital city.

She said that in the best interest of Andhra Pradesh, there is an imminent need to vehemently oppose the privatisation of Visakha Steel.

Stating that the implementation of the commitments made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation of the state is the right of 5.5 crore people, Sharmila made it clear that the Congress will not sit silently if these commitments continue to be neglected.

Requesting all the MLAs to join the fight, Sharmila urged them to debate the issue in the Assembly on behalf of their respective parties and insist on passing a resolution in the House. She said all should rise above politics to join this fight.

Last week, the APCC chief had staged a dharna in the national capital along with the Congress leaders and cadres, and even raised slogans against the Prime Minister for denying Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.