Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu rejects calls to leave NDA

ANANTAPUR: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday brushed aside the Opposition parties’ demand that the Telugu Desam withdraw from the NDA in the Centre over the Special Category Status issue.

Reacting to the Centre making it clear that it would not be possible to give special status to AP, Mr Naidu said in Kurnool: “We are confident that the final victory will be ours. If we oblige the Opposition parties, the entire state will suffer in many aspects,” he said.

The Chief Minister participated in a series of programmes in Kadapa and Kurnool districts as part of the Neeru Chettu programme on Saturday. He said: “They (the Opposition) are simply demanding that we come out of the Union Cabinet, but they aren’t analysing the consequences. Why don’t they mount pressure on the Centre to get funds for the state by using their national leaders in the Centre?”

Mr Naidu pointed out that he would be happy with additional funds and packages for the state. “As an allied party, the TD will make all efforts to convince the Centre to give more funds towards development of the state,” he said. He reminded that the state government had waived crop loans for farmers and also SHG women groups though it was facing a severe financial crunch after bifurcation. “We are also wavering interest on crop loans,” he said.

He reiterated that all past promises made to the people of Kurnool would be honoured. Mr Naidu added that he was confident that Kurnool would emerge as an industrial hub considering the response from the investors; industrial units over 16,000 acre along with a greenfield airport on 3,000 acre would come up at Orvakal and Kurnool would be developed as a satellite city using its proximity to Hyderabad, he said.