GUNTUR: AICC general secretary and AP Congress in-charge Oommen Chandy has called on leaders to strengthen the party at the grassroot level with the 2019 elections in mind. The former Kerala chief minister was interacting with party leaders in Guntur on Tuesday. He conducted meetings with leaders from 17 Assembly constituencies in the district and urged them to work hard to improve cadre-base of the party.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi deceived the people of AP by giving only ‘soil and water’ for Amaravati during the foundation laying ceremony of the capital city. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who have failed to question the Centre earlier, is now busy conducting dheekshas against the Modi government,” he said.
It is remembered here that Modi presented soil from the Parliament complex and water from the Yamuna to Naidu after laying the foundation stone for the capital.
He said the AICC president Rahul Gandhi will take the lead to protect secularism in the country with the help of regional parties.
“The TDP, BJP and YSRCP are deceiving the people in name of SCS. We will give SCS to AP after coming to power at the Centre after the 2019 elections,” Chandy said. Speaking on the occasion, APCC president N Raghuveera Reddy stated that Rahul Gandhi would put first signature as PM on the file related to Special Category Status to AP after the 2019 general elections.
Only the Congress can give special category status to AP and fulfil the promises made to the State at the time of bifurcation, Chandy said. Former central minister Panabaka Lakshmi, Kasu Krishna Reddy, Kanumuri Bapi Raju, Nadendla Manohar and AICC secretary Sk Mastan were present.