Amaravati, Mar 24 (IANS): YSR Congress parliamentary party leader V. Vijayasai Reddy has challenged the TDP-JSP-BJP coalition to promise to the people of Andhra Pradesh in their manifesto that the Central government will give Special Category Status to the state for 10 years.

The Rajya Sabha member on Sunday took to ‘X’ to throw a challenge to the tripartite alliance. “But they would not do so because they want their alliance more than the progress of AP,” added Vijayasai Reddy. He urged people to vote for a party that puts Andhra Pradesh first.

Vijayasai Reddy is YSR Congress candidate for Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

Through another post, the YSR Congress leader claimed that some elite private schools are lobbying in support of TDP. “Apparently, there is a strong lobby of some elite private schools supporting TDP. After the success of Nadu-Nedu, these hundreds of private schools are not able to charge parents high fees. They’re looking for revival at the cost of Govt Schools,” he wrote.

Nadu Nedu is a programme being implemented by the YSR Congress government to improve learning outcomes and decrease the dropout rate in all government schools by taking up various measures including upgradation of school infrastructure.

Simultaneous elections to the 175-member state Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled to be held on May 13.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has formed an alliance with the BJP and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party to take on the ruling YSR Congress.

In 2019, YSR Congress had wrested power from TDP with a landslide majority, winning 151 Assembly seats. It also bagged 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.