Kalyan slams Centre on special status for Andhra

Tirupati: In a no-holds-barred attack on the Centre and the state government, Telugu film star and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan today said here that he would fight till the Centre granted special category state status to Andhra Pradesh.

He demanded that Telugu Desam Party leave the NDA government if it could not fight and achieve the special status as promised by the BJP.

He lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi too.

“Modi-ji, you said (during the 2014 election campaign) that Congress killed the mother (Andhra Pradesh) and gave birth to a new baby (Telangana). Now, you are trying to cremate the mother,” Kalyan said.

He wondered what was stopping TDP from fighting for the rightful demand of special status. “They are apparently afraid that the Centre will set the CBI on them. Do you have anything to hide that you are so scared? Stall Parliament and achieve special status,” Kalyan said.

“I appeal to the Centre to not look at a few filthy rich TDP MPs like….Grant special status looking at the common people of the state,” the actor added.

Referring to the Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju’s claim that three chief ministers were blocking the grant of special status to AP, Kalyan asked, “Why are you then hanging on to your post? Resign and come out.”

He wound up his nearly one hour speech in a highly emotional tone, saying in English, “Respected sirs of BJP and Congress. We are deeply hurt that you are not able to see our angst, anguish, tears and anger.

“You may be sitting up north and we in down south and think we are not in your vicinity. But we will be in your vicinity and fight for our right. “Hum ladenge…Jeet tak ladenge,” he said.

He would organise a series of meetings on the issue beginning with a public meeting at Kakinada on September 9, he said.

–PTI