Andhra Pradesh special status row to shift to New Delhi

Naidu to seek Oppn support on motion

The battle for special category status for Andhra Pradesh will shift to the national capital next week with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expected to meet Opposition leaders to rally support for the demand after a bitter parting of ways with the BJP.

YSR Congress, the arch-rival of Naidu's TDP, is also expected to step up pressure on the issue with its MPs set to tender their resignations on April 6, the last day of the Budget Session.

YSR Congress leaders are expected to sit on an indefinite hunger strike at the Andhra Bhawan in the capital thereafter to press for their demand for a special category status for the state.

Naidu, meanwhile is expected to reach out to Opposition leaders, including the Congress, to and seek their support for pressuring the Centre to deliver on the 19 promises in the AP Reorgnaisation Act and back the TDP over the no-confidence motion against the Modi government on the issues.

This will be Naidu's first visit to the capital after the TDP pulled out of the NDA on March 16, as the YSRCP queered the pitch over the special category status issue by moving a no-confidence motion against the Modi government.

The TDP leaders expect that the notices for no-confidence motion given by six political parties could be taken up for discussion sometime next week.

The issue of special category status for Andhra Pradesh has rocked Parliament since it re-convened for the Budget Session on March 5.

Both the Houses of Parliament have witnessed repeated adjournments on the issue and other matters such as the setting up of the Cauvery Management Board and rights of states to decide on reservations in jobs and educational institutions.

The Budget Session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on April 6.