Union commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a weak attempt to come to the rescue of ruling TDP from the loss of face it suffered with regard to getting special category state status bestowed on AP.
TDP has been at the receiving end because of its failure to derive some special treatment if not the special status from Prime Minister Modi’s NDA government in which TDP is also a partner.
Now that special category status is not at all on the centre’s agenda as told by Rao Inderjit Singh, planning minister, in Lok Sabha, chief minister Naidu has become a punching bag for the past three days. All opposition parties have cornered the ruling TDP over Singh’ statement. There is no political party in AP that has not spared the TDP. If talk is to be believed, a grand all-party coalition is being planned to wage battle against TDP at state and NDA at centre for the special category status. CPM senior leader BV Raghavulu asked Naidu to convene an all party meeting on the subject which is unlikely now.
The impression among the political parties is that Naidu is not able to fight for special status because he doesn’t want pull out of NDA for political reasons.
Amid this clamor for Naidu’s scalp Nirmal Sitharaman swung into action in the aid TDP against the Opposition’s attack.
She said the Centre had never denied special status to AP and added Rao Inderjit Singh’s comments on special category status were made with special reference to Bihar only.
Nirmala,who represents AP in Rajya Sabha, said, ” Planning minister Inderjit Singh made that statement in Parliament during question hour while answering a question on Bihar State. The remark was not applicable to AP. He only tried to explain about the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission which was of the opinion that there was no need to accord special category stage status to any state. His remark should not be misinterpreted.”
She said the Centre would fulfill all promises made to the two Telugu-speaking States at the time of bifurcation.
“All assurances given to both AP and Telangana, during bifurcation, will be implemented one after another,” she said.
What is needed is a clarification from the centre on whether the process to accord special status is set in motion.
Because a statement made on floor of the house by the concerned minister carries more authentic than any clarification given by any minister over a cup tea in New Delhi.
