Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday declared that after Congress comes to power at the Centre its first step will be to accord Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
Rahul Gandhi who was on a day-long visit to Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh today said that the Centre had promised SCS to the State at the time of bifurcation. “We will fulfil the promise made by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It is the right of Andhra Pradesh", he said, taking part in an interactive session with students. He regretted that the promise of the then Prime Minister was not fulfilled by the present Prime Minister Narendar Modi.
Replying to a question from the students, Rahul Gandhi expressed his deep concern over an aggravating situation of unemployment and pointed out that in neighbouring China 50,000 jobs were created every day against only 450 in India.
Soon after his arrival Rahul visited the home of former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Damodaram Sanjeevaiah at Pedapadu village and also met his family members. Sanjeevaiah's small house was in dilapidated and neglected condition. He was the only Dalit Chief Minister of the State.
Later, Rahul had another meeting with the minority leaders of Congress party and discussed the issues facing the community. Kurnool is among the districts of the country with the biggest concentration of Muslim community.
Addressing a public meeting at STBC Grounds in the evening, Rahul said that there was always a special relationship of love between the Congress party and Andhra Pradesh.
He charged the BJP with cheating the State by not fulfilling the promises made by Manmohan Singh in the Parliament.
Recalling the special bond between AP and Congress, he recalled that for the first time in the history of the country a Dalit, D Sanjeevaiah, had become the Chief Minister of a State during the Prime Ministership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
He told the people about his experience of visiting Damodaram Sanjeevaiah's house earlier in the day to pay respects to him.
Describing Sanjeevaiah as an honest and sincere leader, Rahul narrated an incident. "When some people alleged before Nehruji that Sanjeevaiah was corrupt, the Congress party sent a team to his village. When the team saw a small house where an elderly lady cooking on a smoke chullah they asked her where was the house of Sanjeevaiah. The team was shocked when the lady replied that this was his house and she was his mother. Sanjeevaiah was made CM a week later".
Rahul said that today AP needs a Chief Minister like Sanjeevaiah and Andhra Pradesh has set an example for the entire country long ago that a person who works honestly to serve the people should become the Chief Minister.
N Raghuveera Reddy, State Congress president, said that the visit of Rahul Gandhi will be a shot in the arm for the party and galvanise the rank and file.
