Centre pushes TDP to corner

Amaravati: The alliance between Telugu Desam Party and the BJP hit a new low on Tuesday after the Centre made it clear that it has not budged from its original stand on Special Category Status (SCS) and that it was not willing to offer all the benefits promised under special package, at one go.

Rubbing salt into TDP’s wounds, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely is understood to have commented disdainfully with the AP and BJP delegation that met him on Monday, that AP had not shown accounts for Rs 12,500 crore financial assistance the Centre had extended to the state to bridge the revenue gap. The Centre has also made no bones about extending tax benefits to AP as this would create problems from other states, including Orissa, Bihar, Bengal and UP.

Hurt by the observation of the Centre, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told the Telugu Desam Legislature Party meeting on Tuesday that it was unfortunate that the Centre should make damaging comments that the state had not submitted utilisation certificates. "The Centre had never asked us to submit utilisation certificates.

But the state on its own has submitted all utilisation certificates and they are also available on website. Officials are perhaps ignorant of it. Centre's website says AP was in third position in country in submitting utilisation certificate," Naidu said.

Intent increasing the heat further on the BJP, the Telugu Desam government is sharpening its knives to hit back at the Centre for its "supercilious and haughty behaviour" in so far as delivering the fiscal and other commitments in the AP State Reorganisation Act, are concerned.

According to sources, Chandrababu Naidu might go for BJP's jugular on Wednesday after CM's reply to the motion of thanks to Governor's address. If Tuesday's warning of Naidu to the Centre to keep in mind the fate of the Congress for showing disrespect to the sentiments of the people, is any indication, the TDP supremo might return with more fire power and might even announce drastic decisions that might seriously upset the BJP-TDP applecart.

Sources said that Naidu had discussed the attitude of the Centre in the TDLP meeting and is now trying to firm up his stand, after taking into consideration the political cost of snapping the alliance with the saffron party. Though many of the TDLP leaders urged him to bid goodbye to the NDA, Naidu is going over the idea carefully and might come to a decision sooner than later.

As the Telugu Desam leaders are breathing fire at the BJP, the saffron party honchos are feeling a little annoyed over Naidu failing to see the obvious in YSRC chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy's campaign for SCS. They believe that Jagan Mohan Reddy raised the issue only to lead Naidu up the garden path and in the face of adversity, a seasoned leader like Naidu should remain unruffled and not get carried away.

The Centre is understood to be feeling that Naidu was afraid of SCS becoming a sentimental issue and is expecting the Centre to help it. The Centre does not like the way Naidu was trying to pass the buck to the Centre and thus step out of the political hot-waters he had landed after Jaganmohan Reddy had taken up the SCS issue. According to a source in the Centre, the TDP wants immediately either SCS or all the benefits under special package at one go. "Either of them is not possible now,” the source said, indicating that that Naidu has only Hobson’s choice before him.