Special status to AP under consideration, says AP BJP leader

Vijayawada/Machilipatnam, Aug 17: BJP's Andhra Pradesh chief and Vizag MP K Haribabu said here today that granting special status to the state is under the Centre's consideration, but it is not known by when a decision would be taken on the issue.

Addressing a press conference, he said that the Centre would continue to provide funds to Andhra Pradesh for development. He said that the Polavaram project would be completed on the lines of Pattiseema project. Union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu, Smriti Irani and AP Chief Minister N Chandrbabu Naidu would lay the foundation stone for the construction of NIT at Tadepalligudem in West Godavari district on August 20, he said.

He said that Union Minister Nirmala Sitaraman would lay the foundation stone of the Export Goods Testing Centre at Gambiram village near Visakhapatnam shortly. He said that coastal AP's seafood export potential is bright.

Presently, samples have to be sent to Chennai for testing, but after a testing centre is established here, there would be no more delay, he said.

Haribabu also clarified that the BJP would support land acquirement for the capital city, adding that it is upto the AP state government on how it would acquire land. He said that the BJP had no differences with the ruling Telugu Desam Party on any issue.

PTI