New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has once again asked Centre to accord Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh and cited the case of certain states.
He said the SCS is the right of Andhra Pradesh that no one could deny.
Naidu had "welcomed" the special assistance measures (economic package) announced by the Centre in September 2016, in lieu of the SCS claiming that it was the "best" the southern state could get.
Naidu's fresh demand for the SCS came against the backdrop of the Centre extending the similar status to northeastern states last April.
Naidu's change of stand vis-a-vis the SCS came in the backdrop of strained ties between the TDP and its senior ally BJP. Moreover, Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh and people's organisations have come together with the common demand for the SCS.
Addressing the co-ordination committee meeting of TDP here, Naidu said the SCS was "our right" that nobody could deny.
"We accepted the special economic package because they (Centre) said there would be no SCS for any state from 2017 as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission.
"Then how are they continuing SCS for some states? When they are doing it for some states, they should extend SCS to AP as well in the same name," Naidu demanded.
He said had the BJP been dependent on the TDP's votes (in LokSabha), the southern party would have exerted pressure on the saffron party to accept their demands.
"But BJP has the total majority and hence not budging," the TDP chief said.
On moving a no-confidence motion against the NarendraModi government, Naidu said, "What can we do when the BJP has the complete majority? The no-confidence motion will end with one-day debate. We have, indeed, been seeking a debate on the promises made to AP on the eve of bifurcation and how far they have been fulfilled".
He said a no-trust motion could be the "ultimate weapon" and the TDP was ready to use it.
"YSRC (YSR Congress), which dared us to move the no-confidence motion, is now backing out. It's talking different things everyday. It is concerned only about political gains and not state's interests," Naidu said.