Landing Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu in an embarrassing situation centre today clarified that there was nothing that centre owed to Andhra Pradesh. In a written reply to TDP MP Avanti Srinivas, minister of state for finance Jayant Sinha clarified many things. He said there had been no proposal to accord special status to Andhra Pradehs, no was there any move to bear the entire revenue deficit by the centre.

Sinha’s assertion came two days after the minister of state for home clarified that Andhra Pradesh doesn’t require any special status as it was progressing with high growth rate. But Jayant Sinha further said centre was keen on implementing the provisions of the AP Reorganization Act, 2014 and the issue of according special category state status to Andhra Pradesh and bridging the revenue deficit don’t figure in the Act. He also made it clear that the Act can’t be amended.

Stating the centre would release the funds to the state as per the recommendations of the Niti Aayog, the minister said the center so far had released Rs 6,403 cr to state. And another Rs 2805 cr under bridging the revenue deficit. He also said an amount of Rs 2050 crore had been released for capital construction along with Rs 700 crore for backward regions and Rs 850 crore for Polavaram project.

The reply created ripples in Andhra Pradesh. Congress upped the ante against the chief minister. APCC president N Raghuvira Reddy said his party was ready to fight for the rights of Andhra Pradesh under the leadership of Naidu. He demanded Naidu that he should lead an all party delegation to New Delhi to exert pressure on the centre for special category status and getting more funds. Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti honorary president Chalasani Srinivas said centre should bestow special status if it thinks Andhra Pradesh was part of India.

He warned the NDA government that it should be held responsible for any repercussions if the people of Andhra Pradesh start agitation for special status.