After the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Thursday served notice to move a no-confidence motion in the lok Sabha on Friday against the Modi Government on the issue of denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, the TDP sent unmistakable signals that it may back the motion and walk out of the NDA.
The YSRCP had earlier planned to make the move on March 21, but it brought the motion forward amid speculation that the Government may adjourn the second half of the Budget Session in the wake of continued disruptions by Opposition parties.
YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy met leaders of several political parties, including Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge and CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, and gave them YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy’s letter seeking their support for the no-confidence motion. Reddy will be moving the no-confidence motion on Friday.
The YSRCP MP also met TDP’s floor leader T Narasimham to solicit his party’s backing for the no-confidence motion. Besides, he met leaders of the TMC, the AIADMK, the NCP, the TRS and the BJD.
In his letter to political parties seeking support for no-confidence motion, the YSRCP chief said if the Centre refuses to act on its special category status demand, all MPs of his party would resign from Parliament on April 6.
The TDP has 16 MPs and the YSRCP has nine in the lok Sabha.
The YSRCP move has left the TDP with few options. TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has pulled out its two Ministers from the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre. On Thursday, he said his party is likely to support the no-confidence motion.
The TDP was locked in competitive regional politics with the YSRCP in demanding special category status to Andhra Pradesh and financial package as promised during and before the division of the State.
“If necessary, we will support the no-confidence motion against the Centre, whoever may place it,” Naidu said in the State Assembly on Thursday.
“The TDP was part of NDA-1. We didn’t crave for power. Vajpayee offered 6 Ministries to the TDP, but we didn’t take it. During his regime, Vajpayee used to take our suggestions. Golden quadrilateral project was derived from our discussions,” Naidu said in the Assembly.
Naidu is likely to take a final decision on support to the no-confidence motion in a meeting of senior party leaders on Friday.
According to sources, the TDP chief may also call on BSP chief Mayawati and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav in a bid to forge a new Opposition alliance, in the wake of BJP’s defeat in lok Sabha bypolls at the hands of combined electoral strength of the SP and the BSP.
Earlier in the day, the Andhra CM, while addressing his party leaders via teleconference, attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hit out at the BJP for pitting others against him.
“Instead of giving what Andhra Pradesh people are rightfully asking for, the BJP is resorting to using Jagan Mohan Reddy and Pawan Kalyan against us,” Naidu said.