The Telugu Desam Party, an ally of the BJP, has rejected the Centre’s stand that the Special Category Status cannot be granted to Andhra Pradesh but decided to remain a part of the National Democratic Alliance. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of TDP MPs and senior party leaders in Vijayawada on Sunday, chaired by the party’s national president and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The meeting decided to mount the pressure on Narendra Modi-led NDA Government to make it fulfil all the promises made in the AP State Reorganisation Act. Terming the Special Category Status “a life and death issue for the State”, Naidu said that that TDP will never compromise on the interest of the State.
The meeting was called in the backdrop of mounting pressure from a united Opposition, which has called for a Statewide strike on Tuesday to protest against Centre’s stand.
After the meeting, Chandrababu told the media that the people were disappointed and unhappy with the stand of the Centre. However, he said, that the TDP would remain part of the alliance. “The meeting decided that the party will abide by the alliance Dharma”, he said adding that he will soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We will decided our future course of action depending upon his response,” Naidu said.
“We will tell the Prime Minister where Andhra Pradesh stands today compared to the neighbouring States,” Naidu said.
Naidu said that the stand taken by Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on the demand for special category status was “unacceptable” for the TDP. “As a party which supported the bifurcation of the State, don’t you have a responsibility to rescue the State,” he asked the BJP.
Naidu reminded the Centre that the people of Andhra Pradesh had come out on the streets to oppose the bifurcation. “Due to the bifurcation, Andhra Pradesh has suffered injustice and humiliation,” he added.
The fresh crisis, putting a question mark on the future of TDP-BJP alliance was sparked off last week after a Private Member Bill moved by the Congress member in the Rajya Sabha KVP Ramachandra Rao forced a discussion on the demand of special category status for Andhra Pradesh following the bifurcation of the State.
In reply to the debate, Jaitley categorically rejected the demand of SCS citing the 14th Finance Commission
recommendations. But offered all possible help in stabilising AP economy.
“The SCS issue has nothing to do with the 14th Finance Commission,” Naidu said, adding that future of the State depends on the special status.
Naidu said that in his meeting with the Prime Minister, he would raise the issue of injustices with AP during last two years, fulfilling the promises made in the State Reorganisation Act and the SCS.
He reminded the BJP that its own leaders were in the forefront in demanding special status for AP during the debate in Parliament over Andhra Pradesh bifurcation and even stalled the proceedings to press their demand. “When the Congress Government offered special status for five years, the BJP demanded it for 10 years. Now they have their own Government at the Centre and we are asking them to fulfil their promise,” Naidu added.
Naidu said that the five crore people of Andhra Pradesh had supported the BJP to come to power at the Centre in the hope that they will undo the damage done by the Congress. “But during last two years the Centre continuously ignored their sufferings”.
Criticising Opposition’s call for strike on August 2, Naidu said that some parties were trying to mislead the people and create law and order problems. “Instead of Andhra Pradesh, they should agitate in New Delhi to bring pressure on the Centre,” Naidu said.
He urged the Opposition parties to adopt novel methods of protest like cleaning the roads and working harder instead of causing difficulties to the common people by calling bandh.
Even several other TDP leaders including three MPs have come out with strong worded statements against the BJP saying, “breaking ties was a matter of minutes”.
TDP MP from Vijayawada K Srinivas said, “If withdrawing from the Union Government helps the cause of the State, we are ready for it. What is going to happen if we lose two Ministers’ post in the Union Cabinet.”
Rajahmahendravaram MP Murli Mohan, a close confidante of Naidu was more forthright. “I am ready to sacrifice my lok Sabha seat and resign in the interest of the State”.
TDP MP from Anantapur JC Diwakar Reddy has gone to the extent of saying Naidu was the “main foe” of Narendra Modi. Expressing resentment over Centre’s refusal on SCS, he said, “in present circumstance it is not correct policy to continue ties with the BJP,” he said.
TDP MlC Budda Venkanna said that breaking relations with the BJP will be better for the TDP. “Modi has a grudge against Naidu because latter had criticised Modi’s handling of post Godhra riots”, he said.
Since 2014 the TDP was an ally of the BJP in Andhra Pradesh and is also part of the NDA Government with its two Ministers in the Modi Cabinet. While P Ashok Gajapati Raju is the Minister for Civil Vviation, SY Chowdary is junior Minister for Science and Technology.
However, for the first time the party and its MPs have started talking tough and dropping hints that withdrawal from the coalition was not ruled out over the special category status.
Though even earlier several Ministers of Modi Government said no to SCS to Andhra Pradesh, this time the uproar has been unprecedented as the rejection of the demand has come so clearly from no less a person than the Finance Minister Arun Jaitely.
It has given a big stick to the Opposition parties, special Naidu’s bête noire YS Jaganmohan Reddy forcing the TDP to toughen its own act.
The most dramatic fall out of the latest turn of events and the spat between the TDP and its ally the BJP was that the Congress has got a fresh opening to return to the political stage in AP.
The party has been able to send a clear message that it was working hard to get the promise of SCS fulfilled and forcing the NDA Government to keep the promise.
While the TDP was trying its best to lay the blame at Congress’ door by recalling that it was Congress-led UPA, which had bifurcated the State, other parties — including the YSRCP — have started pointing out that the UPA Government had sent a draft Ordinance to the President to give SCS to Andhra Pradesh among other sops but it could not be promulgated as the general elections were announced.
The Congress leadership was trying to take credit by pointing out that it was Congress MP KVP Ramachandra Rao who brought pressure on Modi Government by moving a Private Bill in the House. Observers feel that the current crisis can help the party resurrect itself after it was wiped out totally in 2014 polls.