When will Jagan begin his war for SCS, asks Naidu

Mangalagiri: TDP national president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday strongly criticised what he described as the 'escapist attitude' of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on the long unresolved Special Category Status (SCS) issue.

Naidu sternly asked when the Chief Minister would start his much-trumpeted war for getting Special Status for Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a meeting of party main leaders, the TDP chief demanded to know why Jagan could not even raise the Special Status issue in the memorandum he had submitted to the Prime Minister. The ruling YSRCP leaders had earlier claimed that the Central Committee was formed following their struggle for the Special Status promise.

They should now explain why the committee agenda had changed within no time. Naidu posed a series of questions, asking why Jagan Mohan Reddy had fallen silent after he had toured every village campaigning for the Special Status demand during the 2019 elections.

How could the YSRCP leaders boast in their party media that the Special Status promise was included in the agenda of the 3-member Central Committee because of the Chief Minister's efforts?

The TDP chief criticised that the YSRCP leaders changed their voice by evening once their false claims on the committee agenda were exposed. To cover up their failure, they started mudslinging on the TDP. This was nothing but the inefficiency and collusive attitude of the Chief Minister.

Naidu presided over the party strategy committee meeting which discussed burning issues relating to the AP financial situation, closure of schools, humiliation of cine heroes and corruption in the NREGS works.

Naidu strongly objected to the 'humiliation' meted out to the heroes and bigwigs of Telugu film industry after inviting them to a meeting with the Chief Minister.

He said Jagan Mohan Reddy created a non-existent problem in order to bring down the prestige of the Telugu film industry which had won international fame with merit and hard work.

The TDP chief expressed anguish that a self-made Mega Star like Chiranjeevi was made to plead with Jagan Mohan Reddy with folded hands. The manner in which the Chief Minister behaved with Prabhas, Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu was objectionable.

It should be recalled how Prime Minister Modi himself recently lauded the Telugu film industry for showing global level excellence. The TDP strategy committee held the Chief Minister's polices responsible for the destruction of AP economy though there was no revenue decline.

The State government went for overdraft for over 112 times and for ways and means advances for 193 times. The merger of classes 3, 4 and 5 with High Schools would badly damage students' prospects.

The TDP leaders condemned power cuts in villages for hours together, which was driving the State in a reverse direction. Jagan Mohan Reddy should follow KCR and he should not fix meters on agricultural motors. The YSRCP should explain why the Parliamentary Standing Committee found Rs 261 crore corruption in the NREGS works in AP.