TDP quits Narendra Modi Cabinet over special status for Andhra Pradesh, continues in NDA

Mangalore Today News Network

Andra Pradesh, Mar 07, 2018 : The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday night announced that it is pulling out of the Union Cabinet, over its demand for special status to the state, which would have given it access to more funds from the Centre. However, he stopped short of pulling out of the NDA.

 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu made the annoucnement in a press coference late on Wednesday night. He said the TDP’s two ministers in the NDA government -  Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary - would resign on Thursday morning.

He however said the TDP would continue to be part of the NDA for the time being. "They (ministers) will resign in the morning. What will happen after that, we will see to that later," said Naidu.

"We are hurt that a senior minister comes out and makes a public statement that special status cannot be given to Andhra Pradesh. We would have expected the basic courtesy that we should have been informed using other channels. We have after all been allies and served together in the government," said Naidu.

"The reason we joined the BJP as part of the Central government has not been served. That is the reason we are pulling out of the government," he said.

Naidu’s announcement comes hours after Union Minister Arun Jaitley said the Centre is unable to fomally bestow special status on Andhra Pradesh. But, he said, the Centre would ensure that it would make available just as much funds as would have been available to the Andhra Pradesh government as it would have had access to with the special status.

"We did not ask for our state to be split," said Naidu, explaining the rationale for his party’s demand for special status.

The TDP’s pull-out was not out of the blue. Frictions between the partners has been growing for a while now, and have increasingly come out in the open.

Naidu also targeted the Congress for its promises of special status for Andhra Pradesh, but failing to deliver on the promise before losing power in 2014. The attack came hours after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said his party would ensure special status for Andhra Pradesh if it comes to power after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"The people of the state are disappointed with the Congress," Naidu said.



courtesy:Zeenews