Harish asks AP ministers to fight against Centre on VSP, special status, Polavaram

Hyderabad: Finance minister T. Harish Rao lashed out at Andhra Pradesh ministers yet again on Monday, telling them to fight for special category status to AP and against privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) “if they have guts” instead criticising him and the Telangana state government.

"I fail to understand why AP ministers are so agitated on my comments on VSP, special category status and Polavaram project. I only questioned why the YSRC and the Telugu Desam are keeping mum despite the BJP-led government at the Centre going ahead with the disinvestment of VSP, denying special category status to AP and non-completion of Polavaram project nine years after bifurcation," he asked.

“Instead of answering my questions, they are indulging in mindless criticism. They are making objectionable and insulting comments on Telangana and its people," he told a BRS Atmeeya Sammelanam at Siddipet.

He said he had spoken in support of the people of AP as the main parties there were concerned more about their selfish political interests and vying to get close to the BJP than safeguarding the interests of the state.

Harish Rao said the Telangana state government had completed the world's largest lift irrigation project Kaleshwaram on its own in three years, though it did not get any aid from the Centre. He denied insulting AP or its people.

“Those who failed to answer my questions on issues concerning AP are indulging in mindless criticism of the Telangana government,” Harish Rao said.