Vijayawada: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday urged the Seemandhra people to think over how the States, which were accorded special status, are excelling on the development front.

He was speaking during a felicitation programme organised by the BJP leaders in Vijayawada. Earlier, the party cadre gave Venkaiah a rousing welcome when he arrived at Gannavaram airport.

Meanwhile, the left parties attempted to gherao Venkaiah Naidu at the airport protesting the denial of the special status to Andhra Pradesh by the Centre. Venkaiah along with several party leaders came in a rally from the airport to the city.

Stating that he demanded special status for time of fifteen years for the State, Venkaiah said that he strove to bring justice to Andhra Pradesh during the time of State bifurcation.

“Since the States of north-east are hilly and having a majority of tribes and Girijans, they were accorded special status,” he said. But the scenario of Andhra Pradesh is quite different from other States, Venkaiah pointed out.

The Union Minister said that the Centre followed advice given by the experts on special status. Venkaiah further said that Vijayawada city once housed largescale business establishments, cine industry all were shifted to Hyderabad later. The decision to divide the State was taken only after all the political parties wrote letters to the Centre.

Coming down heavily on the Centre for dividing the State in an unplanned manner, Venkaiah alleged that the Andhra Pradesh was divided by forcefully throwing the BJP leaders out of the Parliament and stopping live television broadcasting.