Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
In a blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) cut ties with the NDA on Friday, 16 March. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, on 15 March, had said his party would support a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government, in the backdrop of the Centre’s refusal to grant special category status to the state.
If accepted, it will be the first no-confidence motion moved against the Modi-government. The TDP has called for a politburo meeting in Amaravati on Friday evening.TDP leaders CM Ramesh, Thota Narsimhan, Ravindra Babu and others addressed a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, 16 March, after exiting the NDA.
'The BJP means 'Break Janta Promise,'" they said, adding that they will be moving a no-confidence motion later in the day.
We are not doing any formality or bonafide politics. We are here to practice politics for the welfare of the people of Andhra Pradesh and are not here to please any political party, including the BJP. We know that BJP means ‘Break Janata Promise.’ The whole of India is seeing that they have no confidence in the BJP. We are putting forth a no-confidence motion against the BJP in Parliament.Ravindra Babu, TDP Leader
From Congress to CPI(M) to Trinamool Congress, Opposition parties have supported the no-confidence motion that will be moved by both the TDP and YSR Congress, in connection with the Andhra Pradesh special status row.
While Mamata Banerjee has welcomed TDP’s decision, CPI(M)‘s Sitaram Yechury said, “Evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted.”
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that his party has been supporting special status to Andhra Pradesh, and they wanted “justice” for the people of the state.
We have been supporting Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh since the beginning.Our government had implemented the law in February 2014. It has been four years and no action has been taken.TDP and YSR Congress have woken up now.Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Leader
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