The Congress party is desperately trying to gain some political mileage by introducing a private member bill in Rajya Sabha over special category status to Andhra Pradesh, but if it is sincere, it can get the special status very easily from the NDA government.
According to Telugu Desam Party Rajya Sabha member and former minister T G Venkatesh, the Congress can force the Centre to grant special status with one stroke. All that it has to do is to put a condition that it would vote for the most important General Sales Tax (GST) bill in Parliament only if the Centre grants special status to Andhra Pradesh.
“The NDA government is very keen on getting the GST bill passed at any cost this session. So, the Congress can capitalise on it and get the special status to AP. It will get the maximum mileage in the next elections,” the TDP leader said.
Venkatesh said that the BJP would make all out efforts to see that the private member bill would not come up for voting.
“So, what is the point on harping on this? It is better use the bigger weapon to attack the NDA, if it really wants to get the special status to AP,” he said.
Point noted. Will Congress respond?
