Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy met with PM Narendra Modi on Friday where he reportedly demanded special category status for the state. Reddy has already met with the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the subject of special category status, which helped him win the 2019 state election. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) also posted on X regarding the meeting between Jagan Mohan Reddy and PM Modi.
According to news agency PTI, Sources said Reddy reached the national capital to make a last-ditch effort amid the strengthening of Congress’ hold in Andhra Pradesh and the possibility of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) allying with the BJP. “Andhra CM met the prime minister in Parliament complex and discussed pending projects and demands, including special category status to Andhra Pradesh,” the sources further added, as quoted by PTI.
The special category status is a component of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, which facilitated the establishment of Telangana in June 2014. Jagan’s trip to the capital follows closely after TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu’s discussions with Shah and BJP president JP Nadda. There’s speculation about a potential collaboration with the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.
Lok Sabha Election, Andhra Pradesh Polls Are ‘Kurukshetra War’: CM Jagan Reddy
The general and state assembly elections are expected to be held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh before May.
On 27 Jan 2024, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy sounded the poll bugle for the YSR Congress party, calling the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections a “Kurukshetra war” and drawing comparisons between his party and the Pandavas and the opposition TDP with the Kauravas (from the epic Mahabharatha).
“This a Kurukshetra war. This side Pandavas. That (opposition) side Kauravas. I am not Abhimanyu who was entangled in the Padmavyuham. I am Arjuna who was supported by you people like Lord Krishna”, PTI quoted CM Jagan as saying.
