TDP's decision to quit NDA 'wholly and solely' guided by politics: Amit Shah

BJP chief Amit Shah has accused the Andhra Pradesh government of committing "serious lapses" in utilising funds earmarked for the state and said the TDP decision to pull out of the NDA will be seen as guided "wholly and solely" by partisan politics.

In a nine-page letter to TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Shah described the TDP decision as "unfortunate" and "unilateral" but reminded that it was "widely known" that the Narendra Modi government has "left no stone unturned" in ensuring the growth of Andhra.

The letter, which was a virtual charge sheet against the TDP that pulled out of the government over the demand for granting special category status to the state, described as "untrue and baseless" the allegation that BJP was not sensitive to the aspirations of Andhra.

"It is a decision, I am afraid, will be construed as being guided wholly and solely by political considerations instead of developmental concerns...We were looking at TDP as our partner in the progress of the people of Andhra Pradesh. Unfortunately, partisan politics has overtaken leading to your party leaving the NDA," Shah said in the letter.

The letter, which was sent on Friday comes as a response to Naidu's communication on his decision to come out of NDA is seen as an aggressive positioning of the BJP in the state to take on TDP.

Amid TDP allegations that the BJP was going back on the assurances given in Parliament, he said it was "regrettable that some political parties are whipping up" sentiments over the special category status, a nomenclature which was removed.

He said Naidu had hailed central assistance package given to the state in September 2016 as his government's "great achievement", which was equivalent to the benefits one would get under a special status. "Suddenly two years later you have made a u-turn once again demanding special status which has become redundant in view of the financial commitments already fulfilled," he said.

Shah questioned TDP's accusation about the delay in the release of central funds, saying it was an "admission of your government's lackadaisical approach" and that the state did not act fast in implementing projects. "If public welfare was a priority, why did your government take so long to access these funds," he said.

The BJP chief's another poser was on the construction of state's capital city where he said the state has only spent 8% of Rs 1,000 crore released by the government and in such a scenario, how can one expect more release of funds?