TDP MPs march to PM house, held

New Delhi, April 8: The police on Sunday detained Telugu Desam Party ( TDP) legislators when they attempted to protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg here demanding the special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

The decision to protest was taken after TDP lawmakers met at Rajya Sabha member and former Union minister Y. S. Chowdary’s residence on Sunday morning to chalk out the next course of action.

The legislators were detained on their way to the prime minister’s residence.

“Twenty MPs are sitting at Tughlak Road police station. The police will allow all MPs to go after sometime. They were detained from Bhinder Point near Air Force Station, while they were marching towards the PM’s house,” a police officer said.

TDP legislator Jayadev Galla said: “The Prime Minister is the person to take decisions on the special status. He has to fulfil his promises and that is why we want to raise our demands with him.”

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal met the legislators “in solidarity” at the police station.

“We condemn their detention and fully support demand for spl status of AP ( sic),” he said in a tweet later.

The TDP withdrew its ministers in the Union Cabinet and walked out of the BJP- led National Democratic Alliance ( NDA) after the Centre denied the special status to Andhra Pradesh. The TDP had issued a noconfidence motion notice against the government. However, it was never taken up for discussion in Parliament due to repeated disruptions by political parties.

In a separate protest over the same demand, five YSR Congress Party members have sat on a hunger strike at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan. Sunday was the third day of the protest.

The five members on Friday resigned from Lok Sabha in support of their demand.