The Centre has ignored the assurances of AP Reorganisation Act. The latest budget has no mention of capital development, relief for deficit and funding for Polavaram. Even the Rs 350 Crore due to the least backward districts was not seen in the budget allocations. The BJP and Janasena leaders are not uttering a word on this. After the introduction of the Union Budget, the leaders of the two parties stayed away from the media. The Centre did not even give AP what it was supposed to give, it discriminated by allocating Rs 70,000 Crore to Tamil Nadu, Rs 60,000 Crore to Kerala and Rs 19,000 Crore to Assam in view of the elections.
AP BJP leader Somu Veerraju stayed away from the media after the introduction of the Union Budget. What would he answer to the people of Andhra Pradesh? People of the state are saying that the central BJP leaders are not even ready to give the funds which are due to the state under the Reorganisation Act but still these party leaders talk of coming into power in AP.
There were no instances of AP BJP leaders meeting their central leaders and requesting for funds to AP before the budget was introduced. Common people are criticizing that except to politicise the temple demolition issue the BJP leaders lacked the desire to fight for the cause of the State. The onus is on the AP BJP leaders to answer them.
Janasena Chief Pawan Kalyan did not react to the injustice done to AP in the Union Budget. The Telugu people are angry that these leaders don’t see that the state which has no capital and the promises of Reorganisation Act was not implemented but the Centre stopped funds to backward districts. There is nothing wrong for the political parties to try to come in power. But it is unfair to seek votes without questioning the injustice done to the people. There was no mention about special status, the railway zone, and the funds for capital development as per the assurances of Reorganisation Act.
The state governments put forward their demands a month before the introduction of the Union Budget before the Union Finance Minister. It is not possible for the Central ministers to know what the State wants. But the ruling party in the AP is sticking with the BJP. They don’t care for the interests of AP. There is a perception among the people that the leaders who talked about pressurising the Centre on Special Status, have fallen on the feet of the Prime Minister to get rid of the CBI cases against them.
There are criticisms that the top leaders of the ruling party and the leaders of the parties allied with the central BJP do not remember the interests of the people of AP. The three parties, namely YSRCP, BJP and Janasena, are not in a position to respond. People are thinking that they have their own agendas rather than the interests of the state.
