Andhra Pradesh CM-designate YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Sunday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and later made a candid confession that since the BJP has returned to power with thumping majority, he is at the mercy of the Centre for special category status to the State. The YSR Congress Party chief also met BJP president Amit Shah and sought his support on the issue.
Talking to reporters after his meeting with Modi, Jagan said his party could only request and not “demand or command” the special category status — a lifeline — for the Rs 2.58 lakh crore debt-ridden State during a meeting with the Prime Minister here.
Jagan, whose party stormed to power in Assembly polls on the promise of getting special category status to the State, said he requested the PM to be “magnanimous” towards the people of Andhra Pradesh.
“Today, we might not get it (special category status). We have to be at somebody’s mercy but I will remind him (Modi) again and again and someday things will change,” Jagan told reporters after meeting Modi at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence.
It would have been a “wonderful moment” for the YSRCP had the NDA won only 250 seats but it got 353 seats in the parliamentary election, he said, adding, “So they don’t need us (to form Government), they are strong”.
“There is very little we can do in demanding and commanding. But yes, we did meet the Prime Minister and explained to him why special category status is so important for us,” Jagan said.
He explained to the PM that the special category status was a “lifeline” for the debt-ridden State as Andhra Pradesh requires funds. PM’s support is needed to run the State efficiently, he said.
“Today, the State’s debt burden is very high. The debt was at Rs 97,000 crore when the State was bifurcated. In the last five years, our debt has swelled up to Rs 2.58 lakh crore. Our interest repayment alone is at Rs 20,000 crore per annum,” he said.
The State’s principal and interest put together amount to Rs 40,000 crore per annum. “This is the kind of situation we are in. We did explain to him that this being the situation, we need a lifeline from you,” he said, adding that the special status is the State’s “right”.
