Andhra Pradesh: Jagan failed to raise special status issue with PM in the recent meet, says Vundavalli

‘It is the Centre’s responsibility to complete the Polavaram project’

Former MP Undavalli Arun Kumar wondered as to why Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is not handing over the Polavaram project to the Centre as it is the responsibility of the latter to complete the project.

He was speaking at a meet the press, organised by the Writers Academy at the Visakha Public Library here on Friday evening.

Mr. Arun Kumar also found fault with the Chief Minister for failing to raise the issue of Special Category Status (SCS) and other assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, during his recent interaction with the Prime Minister. He also objected to the stand of the Union government that ‘Government has no business to do business’ to justify the privatisation of public sector units(PSUs), saying that if that has to happen, the Constitution has to be amended and the word ‘socialist’ should be removed.

Referring to the welfare schemes being implemented by the State government, he described Mr. Jagan as a ‘businessman’, who would only look for profits in whatever he does. He alleged that the YSRCP president was seeking votes in return for the welfare schemes, in the next general elections.

The former MP wondered from where the Chief Minister was getting funds to run the welfare schemes.

He said that lack of financial discipline would ruin the economy of the State. “The middle class people are clever, they are questioning the government on the poor condition of roads and hike in the cost of various goods. There are power cuts in the State and power holiday is being given to the industry. It’s unfortunate that the elected MLAs are not in a position to question their leader.”

Describing it as a ‘big gamble’, Mr. Arun Kumar said: “We have to wait and see, whether he would succeed in it. Former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu failed in the gamble, even after crediting ₹10,000 each into the accounts of DWACRA women, days before the last general elections. They took the money but did not vote for the TDP.”