While Telugu Desam MPs held noisy protests in and outside the Parliament in New Delhi on Monday demanding Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh, the State leaders also continued their criticism of the BJP.
A day after a high-level meeting of TDP leadership chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu decided to step up the pressure, TDP MPs staged a sit-in protest near Gandhi statue in Parliament premises. They shouted slogans and carried placards demanding the Centre to fulfil all the promises made in the State Reorganization Act, including the SCS. later they continued the protest in both the House of the Parliament shouting slogans, displaying placards and disturbed the proceedings.
The YSR Congress MPs rushed to the Well of the House shouting slogans and demanded the SCS. YSCRP has called a State-wide strike on Tuesday to protest against Centre's stand. It has evoked support from the Congress and the left parties, while the ruling TDP was opposing it.
Outside the Parliament, the issue also came up for discussion as the Minister of State for Science and Technology from Telugu Desam YS Chowdary and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu met the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. They discussed the situation arising out of Jaitley's statement rejecting the demand of SCS for AP.
Venkaiah Naidu also met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him about the situation. According to the sources, Venkaiah Naidu urged the Prime Minister to solve the problem with Andhra Pradesh by fulfilling the election promises. Naidu conveyed his concern over the growing differences between the two friendly parties. The PM on the other hand inquired about the statements made by the TDP president Chandrababu Naidu and other leaders of the party.
Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh also TDP leaders continued to target the BJP. In Visakhapatanam the TDP MlA V Ganesh adopted a novel method of protest. He took the garb of a Sadhu clad in saffron clothes to meet the BJP MlA Vishnu Kumar Raju and urged him to cooperate in the fight for the SCS.
Vishnu Kumar assured him that his party will also not compromise on the special status and he will soon meet the Prime Minister to convey the people's sentiments to him. Senior Andhra Pradesh Minister Ganta Srinivas said that if the Prime Minister takes the issue seriously, he can give special status to Andhra Pradesh in one hour. “The people who had demanded special status for ten years are now saying they will not give it. This is not justified”, he said.