Centre's behaviour in Union Budget 2018 remains unchallenged by Andhra leaders

Visakhapatnam: The Union Budget 2018-19 has caused utter disappointment to all the political parties, including the ruling TDP and the main opposition YSR Congress, but they are unwilling to give vent to their feelings in the open.

The budget also caused considerable embarrassment to the local BJP leaders as no funds were allocated for major projects such as Polavaram and there was also no mention about much talked about separate railway zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters, which was repeatedly assured by former Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Visakhapatnam MP and State BJP president K Haribabu. And also, almost all sections of the general public as well the debates on TV channels pointed an accusing finger at the Centre.

There were reports that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had given vent to his frustration in private and was holding a series of meetings with his Cabinet colleagues, party MPs and senior leaders during the past couple of days as to how to deal with the situation.

The ultimate option of severing ties with the BJP also figured in the talks, it is said. Also, TDP MPs Avanti Srinivasa Rao (Anakapalle), K Rammohan Naidu (Srikakulam) and J C Diwakar Reddy (Anantapur) even announced that they were ready to resign if the party leadership gave the green signal. However, another MP and Union Minister of State in the Modi government Y Sujana Chowdhary, expressed the view that they should talk it out with the Centre to get the State its due.

While Chalasani Srinivas, convener of Andhra Intellectuals’ Forum, gave a call to all the MPs from the State to rise above party lines and fight unitedly for its rights, former MLA and senior Congress leader Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, suggested that Naidu should go on a hunger strike immediately to stir the conscience of the central leadership and to register his protest.

The TDP and the YSRC leaders also were seen accusing each other — the former alleging that Jagan was unable to criticise the Centre due to cases against him while the YSRC said Naidu dare not question the Centre due to his ‘cash for vote’ case.

There was also another view saying that as the elections were not far away, the BJP had deliberately ignored the State where it had not much at stake, and it could always keep its option open to align with the party of its choice at the time of polls.