VIJAYAWADA: Special Category Status would be the main poll agenda of the YSR Congress Party, the main Opposition in the State, in the 2019 elections.YSRC chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy held discussions with party MPs and important leaders in Nellore district, where he is undertaking his Praja Sankalpa Yatra, to review the situation in the State after the protests in Parliament and also the strategy to be adopted to counter the ruling TDP effectively.
With the TDP adopting a wait-and-watch policy and deciding to wait for the response of the Central government over the issues raised during the protest in and out of Parliament during the first phase of the budget session, the YSRC decided to up the ante with immediate effect and build up a momentum by the time Parliament meets on March 5 for the second phase of the budget session. Political observers opine that the YSRC strategy seems to be to corner the ‘credit’ for putting pressure on the government to yield to the demands of the people of the State with regard to sufficient budgetary allocations and implementation of the provisions in the AP Reorganisation Act.
Speaking to mediapersons after the strategy meeting, party senior leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said to build up the pressure on the government with regard to Special Category Status, agitation programmes will be taken up across the State from March 1 to 5. He described Special Category Status as ‘Sanjeevani’ that will cure the ailment called ‘Under Development, Unemployment’ in the State. Jaganmohan Reddy will once again meet with the party leaders on March 3 to take stock of the situation. Karunakar Reddy lashed out at the Modi Sarkar for going back on its promises and TDP for failing to make its coalition partner take care of the State, as promised.
Agitation programme
March 1 - Dharna at all the district Collectorates with slogan ‘Special Category Status is our right - Don’t get cheated with Special Package’
March 3 - YS Jagan to flag off the delegation of
YSRC leaders to Delhi
March 5 - YSRC to stage protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi with slogan ‘Special Category Status
is our right - Don’t want Special Package’