Congress alone can provide SCS, says Tulasi Reddy

Kadapa (YSR district): Congress senior leader and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) media committee chairman Dr N Tulasi Reddy said that Congress alone can provide Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh. Addressing a press conference at Vempalle here on Wednesday, the Congress leader alleged that the BJP government has been trying to deceive the people of Andhra Pradesh on SCS since it came to power in 2014.

"During 2014 electioneering in Tirupati, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the people that SCS will be granted to state within the six months of his party came to power. Even though BJP came to power for second time in 2019, it has failed to fulfil the promise," he said. Finding fault with the comments made by 14th Finance Commission chairman Y V Reddy and its members recently saying that SCS for AP is a 'closed chapter', Tulasi Reddy asked why YSRCP had failed to stand up to the BJP government over the issue despite having 29 MPs.

He recalled that after announcement made in the Parliament by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on February 20, 2014, over provision of SCS to AP, the Central Cabinet has passed resolution on March 1, 2014, over the issue. He said that following coming into force of model code of conduct for 2014 general elections on March 5, that resolution did not materialise. Saying that regional parties like YSRCP, TDP, Jana Sena have no capacity to achieve SCS as the issue was purely related to Centre, the Congress leader asserted that it was only possible with Congress after it comes to power in 2024 elections. Party district vice-president Dr Subrahmanyam, secretaries Ramakrishna, Chennakesava and others were present.