Row over Central funds: Ashok offers to quit

Hyderabad, July 21: Union Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju reportedly offered to quit his post if the TDP believes that he failed to ensure release of Central funds to the State. According to sources, Ashok issued a veiled threat during the TDP MPs meeting convened by the party supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at Vijayawada recently. Sources said that Union Minister Sujana Chowdary raised the issue of Gannavaram airport, which he said was promised in the AP State Reorganisation Act. Chandrababu intervened and pointed that expansion works were being delayed due to paucity of funds for land acquisition and asked Ashok to expedite efforts. Ashok is understood to have expressed his inability in securing the funds as the project was not mentioned in the State Reorganisation Act. It is learnt that Chandrababu also expressed unhappiness as Central funds assured for development of aviation sector in the state were also not released. In reply, Ashok was quoted as saying that the funds cannot be released overnight and offered to resign if the TDP government believes that he failed to secure funds. Taken aback, Chandrababu later tried to pacify him.