Excerpts from YS Vijayamma's speech

Affirming that it is not late yet to achieve Special Category Status (SCS), YSR Congress Honorary President YS Vijayamma has said that it is time to take the issue forward looking beyond Party and ideological affiliations as it is the lifeline and our right of Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking at Andhra Bhavan here on Sunday, where the five Party MPs are on an indefinite fast after submitting their resignations, she said, our Party has been consistent on the stand and believes that only SCS can usher in development to the state and chalk out the course of development to the future generations.

As SCS is the lifeline of the state, there is every need to question Delhi and our Party led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken up various protest programmes across Andhra Pradesh and in the national capital as well.

On the contrary, Chandrababu Naidu has always spoken ill about the SCS. Despite being in power for the past four years, he could not get a single major industry to the State nor could he complete a single irrigation project. He could not show employment to the youth and has been mocking at the democratic process by conducting the Assembly unilaterally. He was on record telling that his wish was to see the Assembly without any Opposition and this shows his democratic spirit.

We have moved no confidence motion for 12 days but it was not taken up and the spirit of SCS was diluted, she said.

The Honorary President of YSRCP was in the national capital to express solidarity with the MPs who had resigned and are on indefinite fast demanding SCS.

Jagan has categorically stated that the fight will continue till his last breath and there would be no compromise. YSR wanted a bigger state which would have more representation in the Lok Sabha as the numbers would gain the attention of the Chair. The state was divided to weaken the bargaining power. After division the State is left with 25 MPs and TDP has failed to understand the seriousness of the issue that if all members resign en masse demanding SCS, the impact would be tremendous. Chandrababu Naidu has his own agenda and he did not accept to join us. It is not too late for him to join and show his sincerity by putting up a real fight.

However the fight for SCS by our Party will go into the history of the State and Parliament as well as a glorious chapter filled with grit, courage and sacrifice, she said.

For four decades people have trusted YSR family and believed that we do not go back on our word and people have seen how YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the Party stood firmly on the demand for SCS. Nothing is impossible. People have succeeded through agitations and sustained struggles demands like Steel Plant in Vizag and the State of Telangana and there is no reason as to why SCS cannot be achieved, she said and lauded the courage of the MPs who sat on indefinite fast.

It has been the tradition of the ruling party in the past to speak to the leaders who are on fast by sending an emissary but that tradition seems to have been done away with, she said adding that the indefinite fast has had the intended impact and people and has become a point of discussion at various forums.

Relay hunger strikes were being held across Andhra Pradesh to express solidarity with the indefinite fast of the five MPs who won the name of Pancha Pandavas.