Andhra Pradesh special status: TDP ready to support no-confidence motion against Centre

Hyderabad: TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu said on Thursday that they may support a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the BJP-led NDA government over the issue of special status.

The YSRCP is seeking to put the TDP on the defensive by moving a no-confidence motion.

"If necessary, we will support the no-confidence motion against Centre, whoever may place it," he said in his statement in the Assembly. "I am telling this with pain and agony, 40 years of political experience and as people's word. It is not good to play with the lives of people. If you sincerely move the no-trust motion, we will fully co-operate. If you do it by colluding, we will expose you," the TDP president warned the YSRC.

Refuting criticism against him that he was 'weak', Naidu said, "Mine is dharma, mitra dharma. For four years I have been requesting the Centre but now, only under inevitable circumstances, I started fighting only to secure the state's rights since the PM has meted out injustice."

He reiterated the demand that the Centre fully implement the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and also the promises made in the Rajya Sabha at the time of bifurcation of the state to carve out Telangana. Naidu recalled that the TDP MPs had been constantly fighting in Parliament to get the promises fulfilled.

If necessary, we will support the no confidence motion against Centre, whoever may place it: TDP President and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu in state assembly pic.twitter.com/WriwjHgYnf — ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2018

YSR Congress Party MP YV Subba Reddy on Thursday met leaders of different political parties in the national capital, including Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge and CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury and gave them Jaganmohan Reddy's letter seeking their support for the no-confidence motion to be moved by YSRCP in Lok Sabha on Friday.

In his letter to different political leaders Reddy wrote,"If even after this no-confidence motion, the Central government is reluctant to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, all our party MPs will tender resignation to their seats on April 6, 2018."

YSR Congress Party MP YV Subba Reddy met leaders of different political parties, including Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge & CPIM's Sitaram Yechury & gave them Jaganmohan Reddy's letter seeking their support for the no-confidence motion to be moved by YSRCP in Lok Sabha tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/xhr6IfRAkl — ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2018

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Opposition members tore papers and threw them around in the Lok Sabha as relentless protests by them and NDA partner TDP disrupted proceedings in both Houses of Parliament for the ninth straight day.

The proceedings of the two Houses were paralysed as Opposition parties, along with ruling NDA partner TDP the TRS, stormed the Well and continued their noisy protests over a host of issues, including the banking scam, special status for Andhra and setting up of Cauvery management board.

Earlier, in the morning on Thursday, the Rajya Sabha was disrupted by Congress protests following a remark by TDP member and former minister  S Chowdary that the division of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 was carried out in a "hasty, unjust and unscientific" manner by the then UPA government.

Two ministers of the TDP - Chowdary and Ashok Gajapathi Raju - had quit their posts on March 8, 2018.

Their resignations had come a day after Naidu had announced that the party's ministers will quit the central government in protest against its refusal to grant special category status to the state.

The Centre has been taking one sided decisions and our patience has run out now. When the purpose of joining the union cabinet hasn’t been fulfilled, it’s best to resign now. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 7, 2018

I am not angry with anyone. This decision has been taken only to benefit the people of Andhra Pradesh.

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 7, 2018

Raju had later told reporters that his party will continue to part of the ruling alliance. Chowdary said the issue of special category status was very emotive for the state but the Centre had not addressed it and had added that even the special package was not adequate.

He, however, had added that it would be unfair to say that the Centre did nothing for the state. Naidu had earlier in the day had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(With PTI inputs)