Jagan Opposing Special Category Status?

By now, many sections of the people in Andhra Pradesh have come to the conclusion that Telugu Desam Party president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu does not stand on his words and is known for his frequent change in stand on many issues.

On Tuesday, Naidu came up with a strange analysis.

After submitting a memorandum to President of India Ramnath Kovind in New Delhi on the implementation of promises made in AP Reorganisation Act, he suddenly declared that it was YSR Congress party headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, which was actually opposing the special category status to AP.

His argument is: the YSRC was hand in glove with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh. That is why YSRC leaders have strongly opposed the TDP’s protests in the state when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Guntur to address a public meeting.

Secondly, the YSRC also found fault with him (Naidu) for not extending protocol to the Prime Minister. Thirdly, the YSRC leaders had mobilized crowds for Modi’s meeting.

“Since Modi is opposed to special category status and YSRC is supporting Modi, it implies that YSRC is also opposing special category status to AP,” says Naidu.

Everybody knows it was Naidu who had accepted special package in lieu of special category status to Andhra Pradesh offered by the Narendra Modi government.

He even declared that the special package had more benefits than what could accrue to the state through special category status.

He went to the extent of saying that those who were opposing special package were against the development of the state.

And it was Jagan who has championed the cause of special category status right from the beginning and his party leaders have called for bandhs, agitations and dharnas across the state and also in Delhi. It was on this demand that YSRC MPs had sacrificed their MP posts.

How can Naidu say that YSRC is opposed to special status?