MPs Fight Over Neglecting AP in the Budget

The Parliament saw the MPs from Andhra Pradesh disrupt the first budget session of 2018. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MPs disrupted the proceedings claiming Andhra Pradesh did not get any special funds in the Budget. This is the last budget for the government at the centre and TDP is a coalition partner. The MPs from both the parties protested as in five years they could not achieve what was promised to them while the state was divided.

Outside the Parliament, the MPs did novel protests– they dressed up as narada muni, a story tellers - accusing the government of not fulfilling the promises made to the people of Andhra Pradesh. The protest has created a buzz among the people as TDP is a partner of in the central government and has two ministers – Ashok Gajapari Raju, Cabinet Minister and YS Choudhary as state minister.

The MPs trooped in the well of the house with placards and created ruckus. One of the TDP MPs who spoke, criticized the government for not following the “alliance dharma”. Jayadev Galla, the TDP MP from Guntur launched a scathing attack on the government when he spoke on the Budget in Lok Sabha yesterday.

He listed the number of promises the government had made to the people of Andhra Pradesh that were not honoured.  He listed a few items that were mentioned in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 that till date had no work done on them. Speaking on AIIMS, which is to come up in Amaravati,  Mr Galla said, “The estimated cost is Rs.1618 crore, but so far not even a single penny has been allocated. This year some money is given to AIIMS in various States, but there is no specific mention about AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh.”

“What message do you want to send to your allies and potential allies, Mr. Prime Minister?  Your allies are feeling neglected, betrayed and humiliated as are the five crore people of Andhra Pradesh,” accused Jayadev.

The MPs who are from the YSRCP blamed both the Centre and the state governments for not getting anything substantial for Andhra Pradesh in the last four years.

Speaking to Newsclick, the YSRCP MP from Tirupati, Dr Varaprasad Rao Velagapalli said, “This is a disappointing budget because no developmental package is given to Andhra Pradesh.”
He said that the TDP government is also to be blamed as many of the central government projects did not take off in the state. The bureaucrat turned politician accused the state government of not giving green signal to the steel plant which is to come up in Cuddapah as it happens to fall in the home district of Jaganmohan Reddy, the opposition leader of AP.

Dr Varaprasad goes on to charge the state government for stalling the Dugarajapatnam port which is a 100 percent Government of India funded project. According to the act, the first phase was to be completed by 2018 but the work on the project has not even started. The MP said,
“Just to protect the interests of the private port at Krishnapatnam which is 20 kilometres from the proposed port at Dugarajapatnam the state government is not giving permission for the land to be handed over to the port authorities.”

The Tirupati MP who worked in the capacity of a civil servant in Tamil Nadu gave the example from that state where there are three ports functioning within a distance of 8 kms. He added that they are operating fine and make profits.

It looks like in the days to come the state would witness more allegations and counter allegations.