Chandrababu Naidu Plans Delhi Visit, Huddle with Opposition Parties

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is battling the Centre for special status for his state - has said he will visit Delhi next month to meet all the opposition parties. At an all-party meeting in the state today, Mr Naidu said the visit will take place on April 2 or 3.

The no-confidence notice of Mr Naidu's Telugu Desam Party has not been taken up in Lok Sabha more nearly two weeks due to the persistent protests by Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK over Cauvery waters. The party has made it clear that they will not support the demand by Andhra Pradesh. The other protesting party, Telangana's TRS, yesterday said it would not obstruct the no-confidence motions against the BJP-led Central government.

"We have been hoping each day that discussion would happen on No-Confidence motion," Mr Naidu told party representatives at the meeting in new state capital Amaravati, called to decide the way forward.

At the national level, most political parties, including the Congress, the Left Front and the Trinamool Congress, have supported Andhra Pradesh's demands and its no-confidence move. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has accused the Centre of dodging a discussion on the no-confidence motion.

"We are giving information on important aspects to all political parties through pen drives," said Mr Naidu, whose state hopes to beat Bengaluru to become the country's cyber-capital.

At the all-party meeting, Chief Minister Naidu also denied the allegations of the opposition YSR Congress, which has accused him of pushing the special status issue at the Centre to gain political points in the state and cited the demand of the timing as evidence.

Mr Naidu contended that it was no recent move for his government. In the last four years, he has visited Delhi 29 times and "reminded the Centre of all promises to be fulfilled", he said.

"I have reminded them of 16,000 crores revenue deficit several times. They have announced Special Assistance Measure equivalent to Special Category Status. Even then, I categorically said that all benefits of Special Category Status must be given," he added.