AMARAVATI (ANDHRA PRADESH): Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu hopped on a bicycle, symbol of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and led a cycle rally in the state capital of Amaravati. He was joined by TDP lawmakers and party supporters in the six-kilometre-long yatra that was held to intensify their protest against the denial of special category status to Andhra on the last day of the parliament session. Children holding TDP flags ran along Naidu's cycle as he kick-started the rally from Venkatapalem village to the state secretariat to demand immediate implementation of all promises made by the NDA when the state of Telangana was separated from Andra Pradesh in 2014.
The then UPA government had promised a “special status” and a special financial package to the state, partly as compensation for the fact that the prosperous IT hub of Hyderabad would become the capital of Telangana after 10 years. Following the long-pending demand for his state, Naidu withdrew from the alliance agreement. He also tried to bring a no-confidence motion against the government, but it hasn't been taken up due to repeated adjournments in parliament. While the ruling NDA says it has already sent about Rs 12,000 Crore to Andhra Pradesh, new rules disallow “special status” sought by states such as Andhra and Bihar.
BJP national president Amit Shah even wrote Naidu a nine-page letter in which he said the centre had supplied thousands of crores to Andhra but there seemed to be no sign of it. It was interpreted as an allegation of corruption. Naidu shot back asking, “Why are you spreading lies?” He also said that the BJP was blatantly “promoting” Jaganmohan Reddy and his party, the YSR Congress, which has left him with no option but to end the partnership.
