Centre Says No to Special Status for AP, Again

The central government has yet again made it clear that it is not possible to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a trip to Andhra Pradesh on January 6^th, it led to many speculations about the Centre Government announcing special status to AP ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2019.

But much to the disappointment of AP people, the centre while replying to a question by TDP MP Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, asserted that it is not possible to grant special status in AP as it had already allotted special package as a substitute to special status to the state, as suggested by the 14^th Finance Commission.

The centre also cited the 14^th Finance Commission and said that the report did not allow it to grant special category status to AP. TDP’s MP in the house protested with placards asking centre to give special status to Andhra Pradesh, but their demands are falling on deaf ears.

The protests by MPs have not had any effect on the ongoing Parliament session as it the current storm in the Parliament is centred around the Rafale fighter jets deal.

Now it will be interesting to see how the party would go on in the state when PM Narendra Modi will visit the state in the first week of January.