Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tirupati, has reportedly got an assurance about special status to AP.
One of the main reasons for TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu to lose in the elections, was his contradictory statements on the special category status. While he was strict about achieving it sometimes, he tried to flip his words later, and convince public, that special package is better than the status. Several such acts have brought him down from the government, and offered a landslide victory to Jagan’s government in AP.
But wisely, right after forming the government, Jagan openly stated that it could be difficult to convince the Centre for special status, as the BJP had got huge mandate and so it need not depend on AP, which offered zero seats to the national party. However, he still said that he would raise the special status issue, whenever he meets the PM.
Now the reports are rife that in the recent meet of the duo, the PM has agreed to offer special status, but instead of offering it to the entire state, it could be given to few backward areas of AP.
The Rayalaseema zone is expected to get the special category status, where the benefits of it will spread over Prakasam, Nellore and parts of Guntur. The decision regarding the same is expected to be taken on June 15th, at the Niti Aayog governing council meeting.