Andhra Pradesh’s Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu on Saturday said it was N. Chandrababu Naidu who diluted the demand for Special Category Status (SCS) for the state by agreeing to a special package.

He said Naidu has no moral right to speak on the promises made at the time of bifurcation of the state.

YSR Congress Party leader said that Chandrababu Naidu who is now targeting the state government over SCS, had indeed welcomed the financial package for the state, which was announced by the Centre and had even thanked the Central government by passing a resolution in the state Assembly.

He slammed the previous TDP government for mortgaging SCS for Andhra Pradesh in exchange for a special package that solely benefitted Naidu and his ‘benamis’. He said that the state lost its privileges because of Naidu and the government is now forced to plead for special status.

Recalling that it was YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who made the YSRCP MPs resign and protest for SCS, he said Chandrababu Naidu did not take such a step. He alleged that Chandrababu had pocketed the announced special package and looted public money. He questioned Naidu why he maintained silence in the past and now making allegations against the chief minister.

Kannababu said that Amaravati is an asset for Chandrababu and his benamis, which is worth over Rs 2,00,000 crore and he has been inciting people of that region to protect their ‘ill-gotten’ properties. He said that the entire state was mortgaged by Chandrababu only to safeguard his 30,000 acres in Amaravati.

He said that Naidu will not agree even if the government wants to set up a single capital somewhere other than Amaravati.