A.P. senior Congress leader met Former Prime Minister

Andhra Pradesh senior Congress leaders on Saturday met former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here to discuss the issue of Special Category Status (SCS) ahead of the people's ballot planned by the APCC in the state. Raghuveera Reddy said The praja ballot would begin from September 28 from Tirupati.

During our meeting today, Manmohanji expressed concern over the non-implementation of the special category status and also non-implementation of the factors incorporated in the state bifurcation act.

Speaking to the media, the APCC Chief further said that Manmohan Singh also expressed his displeasure over dishonoring of the commitment made on the special status for the state during the UPA rule, while alleging that TDP and BJP have belittled the special status issue.

"During our meeting today, Manmohanji expressed concern over the non-implementation of the special category status and also non-implementation of the factors incorporated in the state bifurcation act."

Earlier, Manmohan Singh had made an appeal asking the Rajya Sabha to honour commitments made by him on February 20, 2014 on the floor of the Upper House to grant Special Status to Andhra Pradesh.

Rao said the referendum would begin from Tirupati as Modi, M. Venkaiah Naidu and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had made a promise to grant special status during election rallies in 2014, but "now they have gone back on it."

"So, we want to educate the people, the youth and public bodies and intellectuals, and therefore this referendum would also raise awareness about the issue".

The Centre recently granted a financial package to Andhra Pradesh that includes full funding of Pollavaram irrigation project, tax concessions and a special assistance, but stopped short of giving the state a special category status and this package is fake and nothing new.