Andhra CM Naidu meets PM Modi amid strain in alliance
Even in terms of per capita income we are the lowest. Due to unscientific bifurcation AP has suffered badly.
New Delhi: Amid reports of growing rift between the BJP and TDP and the latter recently siding with the Opposition to stall a key legislation in Parliament, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought the latter’s help for fulfilling promises made during the bifurcation of the state.
The TDP has been demanding from the Centre a special category status for Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation in 2014 and creation of Telangana, which has so far not been granted.
Replying to media queries later, Mr Naidu said that Andhra Pradesh continued to depend heavily on agriculture and lagged behind other south Indian states in the services sector.
The chief minister said the contribution of the services sector to Andhra Pradesh’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2016-2017 stood at 46 per cent, whereas it was 64.64 per cent in Karnataka, 62.56 per cent in Telangana, and 56.88 per cent in Tamil Nadu. He said that it was way behind the all India average of 53.66 per cent.
Talking about the agriculture sector, Mr Naidu said the contribution of the sector to the GSDP was 31.77 per cent, while it was just 15.34 per cent in Telangana, 11.39 per cent in Tamil Nadu, and 11.68 per cent in Karnataka.
“Even in terms of per capita income we are the lowest. Due to unscientific bifurcation AP has suffered badly. Whatever we have got so far is not at all sufficient,” Mr Naidu told reporters.
When asked if delay in getting central aid would affect his party’s ties with the BJP, he said that the Union government has TDP ministers and his dispensation in Andhra Pradesh has BJP representatives. He further said “We will consistently follow up and that is the only solution for AP, and there is no issue with the alliance.”