Andhra special status row: TDP mega rally to remind Modi of unkept poll promises

The Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will hold a mega rally in Tirupati against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over its failure to grant Special Category Status to the state.

The objective is "to remind Narendra Modi exactly from where he as the prime ministerial candidate had made promises to Andhra Pradesh four years ago".

The TDP is mobilising a huge crowd for the public meeting called 'Nammaka Droham-Kutra Rajakeeyalapai Dharma Porata Bahiranga Sabha' (Fight against Betrayal and Collusion Politics - Public Meeting).

Leaders claim around one lakh supporters would attend the meeting to support their "relentless fight against the Centre for the rights of five crore people of Andhra Pradesh, demanding it to fulfil the Special Category Status and other promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act".

Four years ago, on April 30, 2014, Narendra Modi during general elections went to offer prayers in Lord Balaji temple, in Tirupati and had promised the people of Andhra Pradesh, to soon grant the state a Special Category Status.

The venue and date of the meeting are the same as the venue and date in 2014 general election campaign when the then prime ministerial candidate Modi had promised the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh if the BJP voted to power. Tirupati rally would be a reminder for the Narendra Modi-led BJP government which has failed to keep up its promises made to the people of the state.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will also address the gathering by showing visuals of Prime Minister Modi making promises to Andhra four years ago from the temple premises.

"BJP has colluded with a tainted party, YSR Congress to do injustice to 5 crore people of Andhra Pradesh. Our fight will continue against them until justice gets delivered and there is no compromise on that," Naidu said.