NDA did injustice by not implementing assurances given in Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act: Manickam Tagore

AICC in-charge alleges NDA government's injustice to Andhra Pradesh, promises Congress will bring prosperity and justice if elected.

VIZIANAGARAM: 

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Andhra Pradesh and Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu) MP Manickam Tagore on Friday (January 10, 2025) alleged that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done maximum injustice to Andhra Pradesh in the last ten years by not implementing assurances given in Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act which came into force during the division of the State in the Year-2014.

Mr. Tagore said Andhra Pradesh could have been one of the prosperous States if Special Category Status was implemented in the last one decade.

Along with former Pradesh Congress Committee president Gidugu Rudra Raju, he toured north Andhra districts including Srikakulam and Vizianagaram to assess the party’s position at ground level.

Speaking to The Hindu in Vizianagaram, he said north Andhra had become the most backward areas of the country with the poor administration of successive governments led by both the Telugu Desam Party and the YSRCP since 2014.

“Many more industries would have come up if concession in taxes and other benefits were offered to investors under the provision of Special Category Status. Unfortunately, the issue was completely sidelined. The Narendra Modi government stopped the allocation of an annual fund of ₹50 crore for each district of north Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. Instead of establishing new industries, it is now trying to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. It is really a big injustice for Andhra Pradesh,” he added.

Mr. Tagore said the real justice for Andhra Pradesh would be done when the Congress party was returned to power at the Centre. “India bloc led by the Congress registered spectacular results across the country although it could not form the government. It will certainly form the government in near future as people of all sections and all regions are fed up. The Congress would take steps to implement all assurances in the Act. He exuded confidence that the Congress would get back strength in Andhra Pradesj too as people recalled the United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) good administration during 2004 and 2014.”