2 TDP ministers quit, party remains in NDA
PM, Naidu speak before resignations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s last- minute efforts to pacify the Telugu Desam Party ( TDP) failed and two of N. Chandrababu Naidu’s ministers in the Cabinet — civil aviation ministry P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Union minister of state for Science and Technology Y. S. Chowdary — resigned on Thursday.
On Wednesday, TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu indicated that his party was considering quitting the BJP- led NDA government. However, the TDP clarified that it is still part of the ruling NDA at the Centre.
The Prime Minister had spoken with Mr Naidu before the two TDP ministers tendered their resignations. Details of their conversation were not disclosed.
TDP ministers quitting the Union Cabinet was preceded by the resignation of two BJP ministers
— Dr Kamineni Srinivas and Pydikondala Manikyala Rao — from the Andhra Cabinet.
Reacting on the development, the BJP said it was an inevitable outcome driven by the regional party’s “political compulsions” ahead of Assembly polls in the state next year.
The TDP pulled out from the NDA government over the Centre’s refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh, an issue that Mr Naidu termed as “most emotional and sentimental”.
The Andhra Pradesh chief minister had on Wednesday announced
his party’s decision to quit the Union government after Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said that the Centre was willing to give funds to the state but not special status as that scheme was scrapped by the 14th Finance Commission for all states, except Northeast and hill states.
With Assembly election scheduled for next year, along with the Lok Sabha polls, the state government is under pressure from the Opposition who have been questioning the TDP’s failure to get the “Special Category Status” for the state despite being
a key ally in the ruling alliance at the Centre.
Putting more pressure on the TDP, the principal Opposition party in the state, Jagan Mohan Reddyled YSRCP, had announced that all its MPs will resign from Lok Sabha if special status is not granted to the state by April 5.
The YSRCP is seen as a “friendly non- ally” in Parliament by the BJP and saffron poll managers say that in case the TDP decides to quit the NDA, going alone in Andhra, where it is “growing politically,” isn’t a bad idea.
Special category status was one of the major planks of the TDP during the last state election. The special category status was promised to the state by the earlier UPA government when the state was being bifurcated.
In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Chowdary stated that “with due respect to the prevailing public sentiment in my constituency as well as the circumstances that led to that situation ( not offering special status) and in adherence to the decision taken by my party president, I am hereby tendering my resignation.”
Mr Raju merely wrote, “I hereby tender my resignation from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect...”
Mr Chowdary, who later addressed the media along with Mr Raju, also blamed the UPA for preparing the “most unscientific Bill ( AP Reorganisation Act, 2014)” and said everyone knows that the bill was passed in both Houses of Parliament amidst a din. He, however, added that one “cannot reverse the clock” when asked about the Congress’ offer of giving the state special status if it comes to power.
To a question on provisions in the Act and their implementation, Mr Chowdary said that the state needed extra handholding, but it would be unfair to say that the Centre did nothing for Andhra.
To a query on whether the party was with the NDA, Mr Chowdary said, “We will continue to be a part of the NDA but not take up any ministerial positions. I don’t think there is anything wrong in that.”
“We will be happy when marriages happen, not when divorces happen. It is not a good move, but unfortunately due to unavoidable circumstances we had to take this move. We are stepping down as ministers, but our president has said we will be continuing as part of NDA,” he said and added that the TDP will continue with its demand till it is met.
The Andhra chief minister had held a meeting with his party lawmakers on Wednesday where the decision to pull its members from the NDA government was taken.