His party boss would be more interested in netting votes, come 2019.
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The TDP has 16 members in the Lok Sabha and the party had March 8, pulled two of its ministers – Ashok Gajapathi Raju (Civil Aviation) and Chowdary (MoS Science and Technology) – out of the Narendra Modi government but had stopped short of walking out of the alliance.
This had raised rumours that both the parties had left its doors open for a post-poll alliance.
The TDP has now been forced to move a motion of no-confidence against the Modi government after Andhra’s main opposition party, YSR Congress, earlier initiated the move.
The party later moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the Modi government demanding that the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 be implemented in toto and also the promises made by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Rajya Sabha be honoured. But, Naidu is continuing to talk to parties. After getting assurances from his long time friends, Naidu went ahead to advice his MPs to give letter to the Lok Sabha secretary general for adjournment of the House to discuss the no confidence motion.
Andhra Pradesh chief-minister Chandrababu Naidu has slammed Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the latter’s reported statement that “funds to the State (A.P.) could not be increased merely for the sake of sentimental issues”. He has embarked upon a 1500 kilometre-long padyatra (foot-journey) to mobilise masses against TDP.
BJP lost to SP in both Gorakhpur and Phulpur, the Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh vacated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and by his Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya respectively when they were elected to the legislative council.
The YSR Congress Party, opposition party in Andhra Pradesh, has moved the no-confidence motion against Narendra Modi-led NDA government for not granting the Special Category Status. It withdrew two of its ministers from the cabinet in order to pressurise the government, all in vain. He has managed to hog the limelight ever since.
The TDP, according to sources, is confident that Biju Janata Dal and Trinamool Congress would support if the TDP moves the no-trust motion.
But TDP denies YSR Congress’ allegations. “People are watching all this and they will teach a fitting lesson”, he said.
The BJP and the government rejected the Opposition’s move, maintaining that they do not anticipate any problems in dealing with it.
“Our resignations were to mark our protest”. “We never demanded any post”. It is what all came to know, not only us, but all partners of NDA. Kushwaha was inducted into the government as Minister of State in Human Resource Department (HRD).
TDP is the second ally, after former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, to part ways with the NDA in less than a month.
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Assembly elections are due in Andhra Pradesh next year and regional parties in the state, including the YSR Congress headed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, have repeatedly targeted the TDP for being unable to secure a special category status for the state. “The TDP still could be brought back onboard if the BJP addressed the concerns of Andhra”.
