Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday saluted the people of Seemandhra for their contribution in building modern Andhra Pradesh and said there is no doubt that Seemandhra will emerge as an economic power house setting an example for other States.
Addressing her first election rally in Guntur city of coastal Andhra, in the face of unprecedented wave of anger against the Congress over the bifurcation of the State, Sonia put a brave front and defended the decision of the UPA.
“I don’t want to grudge your criticism and anger,” she told the people of Seemandhra reminding them that the demand for Telangana State was long pending the uncertainty had to come to an end. “All the political parties had given letters in favor of bifurcation. The later Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy himself had made the position clear in 2009 that he was not against Telangana,” she said.
Sonia also tried to dispel the doubts and fears of the people by assuring them that their interests will be fully protected. “For the first time the reorganisation act has the provisions for a special development package for Seemandhra,” she said. Referring to the special category status given, she said that it means that 90% of the financial assistance will be provided by the Centre in the form of grants and only 10% as a loan.
She showered the promises on the region including setting up a steel plant in Kadapa, an industrial corridor from Visakhapatanam to Chennai, a central university and petroleum university, several important educational institutions and international Airports in Visakhapatanam among others.