Chandrababu took U turn because of compulsions: Rajnath

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday reiterated the government’s stand that the all the promises made to Andhra Pradesh in the bifurcation Act will be fulfilled.

He said this after laying foundation for BJP's state headquarters in Reddypalem of Guntur in Amaravati.

“While our intentions are clear, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu took a u-turn on the issue of special category status. This decision to back down on a special package is based on political compulsions, but not on facts,” he said.

“What Naidu is actually doing is to provide oxygen to the Congress which is on deathbed. I don’t see any logic in Naidu’s choice of an alliance partner because anyone going with the Congress are doomed,” he said.

He said that the Centre has so far given Rs 1,500 crore for the construction of Amaravati and another Rs 1000 crore for the development of Vijayawada city, which is now a part of Amaravati.

“In addition, the Centre will take care of the construction of Polavaram multipurpose national project and the home ministry will grant eight battalions of police force for the residual state. The BJP will provide all assistance to the state of Andhra Pradesh, whenever it requires,” Rajnath said.

Elaborating on the need of alliances, he said that the BJP has always kept the “Alliance Dharma” and is keen on forging new alliances with political parties.

“The only stable alliance government by the Congress was provided by none other than your own Telugu stalwart P V Narasimha Rao. He really kept the 'Alliance Dharma' intact. But the Congress has ill-treated him by not providing a resting place in Delhi, the nation’s capital,” Rajnath said recollecting the economic reforms that P V had brought.

BJP state unit president Kanna Lakshminarayana in a scathing attack claimed that Naidu has resorted to corruption by siphoning of the funds provided by the Centre to complete irrigation projects.

He said that Naidu and his son Lokesh are engaged in real estate business with the lands pooled by the farmers for the construction of Amaravati.