Chandrababu Naidu Quits Alliance With BJP, TDP Ministers To Resign From NDA Government

New Delhi, Mar 7: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) snapped ties with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Centre late night on Wednesday. The party's two leaders, who are part of the central government - Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and MoS, Technology and Earth Sciences, Y S Chowdary - will submit their resignations tomorrow, confirmed TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

The development came shortly after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the "political turmoil" will not compel him to increase monetary allocation for Andhra Pradesh.

"The remarks of the Finance Minister showed as if we were asking too much. But that is not the case. Andhra has suffered ever since the bifurcation of the state in 2014. The reaction of the FM to our demand is disappointing," Naidu said, while addressing the press in Vijayawada.

As a courtesy call, Naidu said he would personally dial Prime Minister Narendra Modi and convey his decision of parting ways with the NDA regime.

"We joined hands with PM Modi with the hope that our only core demand would be addressed. As an alliance partner, we never created any unruly pressure on the government. After waiting patiently for years, we had to take this unprecedented step," Naidu added.

TDP, which has been ruling Andhra since 2014, had appealed the ruling BJP to accord 'special category status' to the state -- a demand which the Centre failed to adhere to in the past 5 years.

While addressing the legislative assembly earlier in the day, the CM said, "We have to stand by the people and step up our fight to fulfil their aspirations. We are not asking for anything more than that is enshrined in the Reorganisation Act."

In a clear warning to the BJP, the chief minister had further added, "Rahul Gandhi has promised to accord us with special status if Congress comes to power in 2019. But our alliance partner is yet to give us a meaningful reply."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused PM Modi of betraying the people of Andhra by making a void assurance to the state leadership of 'special category status' five years ago.

"If the Congress comes to power, we will not keep the people of Andhra waiting. According the state with the special status will be among the first decision we will take," the Gandhi scion had said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2018 10:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).