Special category status issue suppressed by YSRCP and TDP: Sharmila

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President, YS Sharmila, alleged that Andhra Pradesh leads in liquor sales while the neighboring state (Telangana) advances in development. She accused the YSRCP and TDP of suppressing the special category status (SCS) issue for their political benefits. "Both presidents of those parties, YS Jagan and Nara Chandra Babu Naidu have mortgaged state benefits to the BJP for their interests," she alleged.
Addressing the public in meetings at Payakaraopet, Paderu, and Araku on Saturday as part of the AP Nyaya Yatra, PCC Chief Sharmila claimed that Chandra Babu Naidu had now joined hands with the BJP, and YS Jagan has been aligning with the BJP for the past five years.
She accused Jagan of failing to fulfill his promises of providing loans at 25 paisa interest and pensions to 40-year-old tribals. The PCC Chief alleged that the YSRCP government had neglected the tribals' interests and allotted seven hydro projects to the Adani group. "All these projects will impact around 100 villages in tribal areas directly or indirectly. The government remained indifferent even after agitations by the tribals," she stated.
"Late YS Rajasekhara Reddy appointed a committee on bauxite mining following the protests of tribals and halted it based on the committee's report. However, there are allegations of bauxite mining under the YSRCP government," Sharmila alleged.
She criticized the lack of focus and efforts to reopen sugar factories that were shut down in the state, particularly in North Andhra, noting that not even a dozen factories were inaugurated in the past decade in the state. Sharmila promised that special category status would be granted to AP if Congress came to power, asserting that the status would lead to development.