Chandrababu gets Pawan boost on AP special status row

It has been another shot in the arm for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu with the actor social activist Pawan Kalyan joining his club in the campaign for special status for residuary AP and securing financial support to build the capital.

Naidu is visibly disappointed and depressed over the lack of major allocations for Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget on which the state had pinned hopes. On the contrary, there is nothing in the budget announced on Saturday by finance minister Arun Jaitely. After a two-hour meeting at Naidu’s residence on Sunday, Pawan Kalyan announced his action plan to make centre to open their eyes to the suffering and worries of people of Andhra. The actor-politician had recently tweeted: “The time has come for the BJP to fulfill the promises made to the people.”

Chandrababu is likely to fly to Delhi and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to point out the unfair treatment meted out to Andhra Pradesh in the Budget and demand sanction of more funds liberally to both Telugu states, particularly to AP. He is also likely to tour the capital area to get a first-hand understanding of the farmers’ problems. Pawan Kalyan inquired with Chandrababu about the objections of some farmers to land-pooling for the capital. Naidu tried to assuage the misgivings of the farmers by explaining to him the advantages of the land pooling and assuring that the government was being liberal in compensating them. Naidu had met farmers from CRDA earlier.

Pawan Kalyan is slated to tour the capital region and meet farmers, who are reluctant to hand over their lands and later inform Naidu about their misgivings. Sources said his itinerary would be finalised in a day or two, given his proposed meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.