The Narendra Modi government at the Centre has made it clear umpteen number of times that the special category status to Andhra Pradesh was a closed chapter and there was no question of reopening it.
Even during the ongoing parliament session, the Union home minister categorically declared that special category status won’t be given to any state.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and MP G V L Narasimha Rao, who was made party whip for southern states, also made a statement to this effect.
Yet, former joint director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) J D Lakshminarayana continues to harp on the same demand and accused YSR Congress party and Telugu Desam Party of wasting a wonderful opportunity to bring pressure on the Centre for securing special category status to AP.
JD found fault with the two parties for extending unconditional support to BJP’s candidate Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential elections.
He said the BJP was badly in need of the support of MPs and MLAs and hence, the TDP and YSRCP should have put forth the demand for special category status to AP.
Even after the election of Murmu, the former CBI joint director took to the social media to attack the two parties for wasting an opportunity to bring pressure on the Centre.
“After capturing the fort of Sinhagad, Chhatrapati Shivaji said “Gad ala, pan, simha gela" (got the fort, but lost the lion Tanaji Malusare). Total loyalty of our MPs/MLAs brought victory to NDA presidential candidate. But, AP lost a golden opportunity to press for pending demands,” he tweeted.
Lakshminarayana was particularly targeting the TDP for supporting Murmu on the pretext of social justice.
“In 2012 Presidential elections, the TDP remained neutral and abstained from voting, instead of supporting the candidature of P A Sangma, who was also a tribal leader from hilly Meghalaya area. Where was this same social justice slogan then?” he asked.
He said instead of playing the political game in the name of social justice, the TDP should have demanded special category status before supporting Murmu.
He pointed out that even YSRC had supported Pranab Mukherjee instead of supporting a tribal leader Sangma.
