Rahul Gandhi backs demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday made an appearance at a protest by MPs from Andhra Pradesh and backed their demand for special category status to the state and the Centre's promised special package following the state's division.

"This afternoon, I joined the protests at Jantar Mantar demanding 'Special Status' for Andhra Pradesh," Gandhi tweeted.

At the venue, the Congress President said: "I am confident that if we stand together, we will convince the government and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi that what is due to the people of Andhra Pradesh should be given to them, at once."

Gandhi said if his party comes to power in 2019, the first thing his government will do is give special category status to Andhra.

"We are with the people of Andhra. Our stance has been very very clear. We are for special category status of Andhra," Gandhi said while sharing the stage with leaders from different parties.

Members from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), YSR Congress, Left parties and the Congress were present at the protest. The TDP is an ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and has been upset over the central government's failure to grant the special package.

Talking to NH, Former Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Pallam Raju said, “We are sitting here on two days dharna to press for the demand of granting special status. We demand immediate implementation of AP reorganisation act. After division, AP has become revenue deficit state. Also we are demanding special category status for AP.”

On the question of how is Congress demand different from Chandrababu Naidu, Raju said Naidu is part of NDA and he had never demanded for the special category status. He demanded for special economic package. Likewise, YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy has also demanded an economic package, not special category status, claimed Raju.

(With inputs from IANS)