We have to convince and take it forward amicably with the Centre, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said.
Ahead of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Andhra Pradesh today for the inauguration of its new capital Amaravati, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has reminded him of the Centre's promise to grant the state "special category status".
Special category status, which grants states benefits from the Centre, was promised for the downsized state after Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated to create new state Telangana last year.
Ahead of the Prime minister's visit, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy had demanded that the Prime Minister should make an announcement when he visits Andhra Pradesh.
"I am asking Union government and Prime Minister to fulfil the promise under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. I am asking PM for a package and special category status. They (opposition parties) want us to quarrel with Centre. We are a 16-month-old state with many problems. We have to convince and take it forward amicably,'' the chief minister told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
But he dismissed
Mr Gandhi's letter to the Prime Minister making the same demand as "politics". "Congress is responsible for present position of Andhra Pradesh. Congress has done very, very serious injustice to Andhra Pradesh. That is why they are nowhere in the state," he said.
The Telegu Desam Party leader, who has an alliance with the BJP, has
planned a grand ceremony on Thursday to lay the foundation of a new capital for Andhra Pradesh, which temporarily shares Hyderabad as a capital with Telangana.
But many in the opposition have questioned the expenditures. Opposition leader Jaganmohan Reddy has alleged that Rs 400 crore is being spent for a single day.
Rebutting their allegations, Mr Naidu said that getting narrow roads repaired and erecting a dais is not "big expenditure". "When PM is coming and other dignitaries, we need to make some reasonable expenditure. It is needed for publicity and is useful for marketing too," he said.
"'They are opposing because they are worried that if I construct a world-class capital, they will never win an election. From where to locate it to building the city, all political parties and some social activists opposed it. But farmers supported me," he added.
With more 35,000 acres of land given up by farmers,
the state has now 50,000 acres available to build the capital, the chief minister said. "With the increase in land value, they all will get benefit and be partners in economic development," he said.