Special Status – A Dead Cat?

Special Category Status, a prominent issue in 2019 and 2014 polls, becomes an orphan in the 2024 poll campaign as the leading political parties in the state are tight-lipped. Neither CM Jagan nor Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu nor Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan uttered the word “Special Status” in the election campaign.

With less than a month for the voting in Andhra Pradesh, leading political parties are aggressively campaigning. YSRCP’s Memantha Siddham and TDP’s Praja Galam meetings have no place for the Special Status. While YSRCP failed to deliver its promise despite winning 22 MP seats out of 25 MPs, the TDP and Janasena are somehow not highlighting Jagan’s failure in getting Status for the state.

Since BJP is a key ally of TDP and Janasena which is at the ruling in Centre and responsible for the Special Status, TDP+ seems to be mum as it may turn its fingers towards BJP and it may backfire them.

And of course, YSRCP doesn’t talk about the Special Status as it failed to deliver its poll promise of 2019. And Jagan also trying to be in the good books of PM Modi. While it became a crucial issue in the last two elections, it has become a “closed chapter” now.

Only the Congress party, which is a non-significant one in AP, is promising it. But there are no signs of revival of Congress in the near term. Amidst this, the people of AP are also slowly lost their hopes in the Status with all the top leaders of the state compromised on the Status.