Politics

No ‘special status’ for Andhra, TDP ministers to quit Modi cabinet, alliance with BJP may end

New Delhi: Hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely ‘rejected special status’ to Andhra Pradesh, the state’s Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said that two Ministers who belong to the Telegu Desam Party will resign from the Modi cabinet.

The TDP, he said, would decide later over its continuance in the NDA though the Centre’s attitude was “very hurtful and insulting”.

Politicians in the TDP say the party had weighed several options, such as pulling out of the NDA, MPs resigning and ministers quitting the government, and it was decided that the divorce should be a step-by-step process. If their demand is not met even after pulling out the ministers, the TDP will consider quitting the ruling coalition.

In a reciprocal move, Two BJP ministers in the N Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet, Kamineni Srinivas, Health and Medical Education minister and P Manikyala Rao, Endowments Minister, submitted their resignations to Chief Minister on Wednesday. Kamineni Srinivas said their decision came in the wake of the TDP asking its Union Ministers to resign.

The BJP has also rejected Naidu’s charge that the government led by Narendra Modi neglected Andhra, saying the Centre not only fulfilled all its obligations but also went out of its way to help the state.

“As a matter of courtesy, I tried to inform Prime Minister Narendra Modi… It is my responsibility as a coalition partner to inform the Prime Minister about our party decision. My OSD spoke to his OSD but the Prime Minister was not available,’’ Naidu said.

The TDP announcement came within hours of Jaitley declaring that the Centre was willing to provide the “monetary equivalent” of a special-category state to Andhra Pradesh but would not be able to grant it “special status” which was restricted only to the north-eastern and three hill states by the 14th Finance Commission.

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