The NDA government led by Narendra Modi has made it clear umpteen number of times, both inside and outside the Parliament, that there is no question of granting special category status to any state in the country, including Andhra Pradesh.
The YSR Congress party, which came to power riding on the plank of special category issue, is also reconciled to the fact that the Centre won’t grant the status to AP.
Party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also said a number of times that the BJP won’t consider the demand because it has absolute majority in the Lok Sabha.
But the Jagan government has made it a point to raise the demand whenever it submits a memorandum to the Centre, while asking for various projects and grants due to the state.
And the Centre has been conveniently ignoring the special category status demand.
Yet, the YSRC has been trying to keep the demand for special category status alive for the obvious reasons, despite knowing very well that the Centre will not grant the same.
On Tuesday, too, the party raised the issue in Rajya Sabha and stalled the proceedings for an hour.
YSRC general secretary and parliamentary party leader V Vijay Sai Reddy and other party members served a notice to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu under Rule 267 for a discussion on the special category status.
Venkaiah Naidu said as many as 15 members had served similar notices under the same rule on various subjects, including issues of national importance.
He said he would not allow discussion on any issues for now.
But Sai Reddy insisted that the notice be accepted for a debate, as special category issue was also a national issue.
But the RS chairman said the issue was only between Andhra Pradesh and the Centre and has no national relevance.
The YSRC members expressed resentment and in protest, they stormed the podium holding placards and raising slogans.
As a result, Venkaiah had to adjourn the upper house for an hour.
