Congress leaders, spearheaded by APCC president YS Sharmila, organised a dharna in New
Delhi on Friday to protest what they perceive as an unfavourable allocation to Andhra Pradesh in the general budget.
At AP Bhavan, YS Sharmila, along with former Union minister JD Seelam, former APCC
president Gidugu Rudraraju, and Koppula Raju, took to the streets, brandishing placards
and chanting slogans advocating justice for AP. Addressing the media, APCC chief YS Sharmila asserted that the BJP-led government had betrayed the people of AP by failing to grant SCS.
She reminded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a public meeting in Tirupati, had assured the grant of SCS, a promise yet to be fulfilled. Criticising the government further, she highlighted the lack of funds for the Polavaram project and the unfulfilled promises of
establishing a steel factory in Kadapa, a seaport at Dugarajapatnam, and a railway zone in Visakhapatnam. She condemned the alleged efforts to privatize the Visakhapatnam steel plant by the BJP-led Centre. Sharmila also raised concerns about the BJP’s influence in
Andhra Pradesh, claiming that despite having no MP or MLA in the state, the BJP indirectly
governs. She accused both the ruling YSRCP and the opposition TDP of being subservient
to the BJP, questioning the lack of pressure from the 31 YSRCP MPs to secure the promised
SCS. Pointing out the meagre allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the Amaravati railway line,
Sharmila questioned the effectiveness of the 31 ruling party MPs in addressing the needs of
the state.
Following the protest, a Congress delegation, led by YS Sharmila, met with National Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar to seek support in securing Special Category Status.
Accompanied by KVP Ramachandra Rao, Tulasi Reddy, Gidugu Rudraraju, and JD Seelam, the delegation also met DMK MP Tirucchi Shiva, who assured them of conveying their request to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin upon his return from a foreign tour.
