Real commitment to Andhra will be shown if it's given special category status: Congress

New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday said the real commitment to Andhra Pradesh would be demonstrated if Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives the state special category status as committed to by the then PM Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha in February 2014.

Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh noted that in the last week, Prime Minister Modi has inaugurated an AIIMS in Mangalagiri and an IIT in Tirupati.

"Both of these institutions were commitments made by the Manmohan Singh government in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. Of course, Mr. Modi is now claiming credit," he said.

The "real commitment" to Andhra Pradesh would be demonstrated if the prime minister were to give the state special category status to strengthen its financial position, as committed to by Manmohan Singh on the floor of the Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014, Ramesh said.

"Dr. Manmohan Singh had committed to this Special Status for a period of five years, and the-then BJP front-bencher M. Venkaiah Naidu had got up and declared - '[W]hy only five years? BJP government will give for 10 years'," he recounted.

"Both Mr. Naidu and Mr. Modi have a lot to answer for," Ramesh said. PTI