Fume and fret it might but the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is unlikely to break the ties with its ally the BJP or the NDA Government at this stage. There are numerous factors weighing with the national TDP president and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to keep sailing in Modi boat.
Top of the list is the fact that Naidu has no bargaining chip as the BJP enjoys a comfortable majority on its own in the lok Sabha and has many other allies to support. “It is true that the TDP withdrawing support is not going to make any difference and the Government is not going to collapse”, admitted a senior party leader.
Secondly Naidu needs a friendly Government at the Centre as SCS was not the only issue facing his Government. He needs the backing of the Centre on various other fronts ranging from the construction of the new capital Amaravati and the mega irrigation project in Polavaram which has been accorded a national status.
AP was also facing a yawning revenue gap after the bifurcation in 2014 and need generous helping hand from the Centre till its economy gets stabilised. On the political front, Naidu regime can face a lot of difficulties if the BJP turns hostile and hits the road while the other Opposition parties were already breathing down his neck.
While the TDP leaders were unwilling to come on record with regards to the future course of action, many of them privately confided that the time was not ripe for any drastic decision. “There is a lot of time for the next elections and we can take a decision to end the ties anytime before the next elections”, one of them said.
“Breaking ties wit the BJP has become inevitable. But the final decision rests with Chandrababu”, said TDP MP JC Diwakar Reddy.