This is a third-party report. Not something that either BJP or TDP came up with to further their argument. After four years of snail-paced delivery, there still are promises worth over 74,500 crore pending. And this does not include Polavaram — which has to be built 100 per cent by the central government as per their promise and Nitin Gadkari’s recent reiteration.

But for the good people of my state, the issue is not about the crores given or not given. It is about a promise made directly to us in person, not being honoured. A word is a bond. A sacred trust. How can it be taken so lightly? When something was promised, it should be delivered. Finding excuses is the mark of a loser. We have whiled away four years already. How difficult is it to resolve the issue if we set our heart to it? One week in a conference room, day and night, with all the resources at their disposal, is quite sufficient. Why isn’t that being done? Immediately after TDP quit the government, several well-connected BJP supporters came out with how this was an opportunity for BJP to increase their vote share in Andhra Pradesh. How can we stoop so low? We talk of one word and one arrow. Are they just teachings? We use that to garner votes and do whatever we want to later; and will drown out any dissent by calling them anti-national and guilt tripping them by comparing other states which need central aid, and of soldiers on the border needing better equipment?

Modi ji made these promises. Not the people of Andhra Pradesh. We did not want the state to be split. We did dharnas for months together because we did not want it to be done. We never asked for special status and to build us a new capital. We wanted our state to be left alone. Since you couldn’t do that, you came bearing gifts as a compromise. We did not ask you for it. We had Hyderabad. It was a good capital. You came and said you’ll build us a better capital than even Delhi. We clapped for whatever you said. And today we are being told they were just words? Don’t show us that our numbers are way ahead of the national average. Because we have capable leadership and industrious people, the state will do very well irrespective of whether these promises are fulfilled ‘in word and in spirit’ or not. But trust once gone cannot be regained. I will never vote Congress again in my lifetime for what they did to my state. The same will hold true for all parties.

Here is the actual way this should be done, in my opinion. The Centre should give us what they promised in spite of the problems in liaising with the state government. Not to use it as an excuse. Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir is a ridiculous ally for BJP. Aren’t they working together ‘for the good of the people’? Nitish Kumar walked out of NDA before the last elections. Didn’t they form a government again together last year? Despite having a lesser number of MLAs than the opposition, BJP formed governments in Goa, Nagaland, and Meghalaya. They truly pulled rhinoceroses out of their hats there. Aren’t they working with multiple coalition partners in those states? In Andhra Pradesh, you have a terrific coalition partner. Chandrababu garu probably is India’s most capable chief minister. Yes he has his flaws. But BJP is working with PDP! If a fraction of that diplomacy were used here in Andhra, we would have resolved every single issue being fought over today. Again, not everything is politics. Modi ji gave us his word. Using phrases like blackmail today is rather objectionable.

We can talk about how such a move will solidify the NDA alliance and give BJP more seats in 2019 to make up for the seats it’ll lose in Rajasthan and MP. We can talk about how fulfilling their promise to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana can make an ally of Telangana Rashtra Samiti and pour cold water on the ambitions of the third front. We can talk about how this will work against the idea of South India being ignored.

But not everything is politics. Not everything is to be counted in terms of votes it’ll get us. We are romantics at heart. That is why we elected a common man and toppled the dynasty. Romantics believe that words once spoken are written in stone. You spoke these words to the people of Andhra Pradesh. You’ve delayed it enough, Modi ji. Make good on your promises. Don’t give us our due because of, but in spite of. Be the statesman we think you to be. Be big. Then come back here again in 2019 and we will again come and cheer for you at the venue.

This article first appeared on Medium and has been republished here with permission.