After TDP's exit from NDA, BJP says it is an oppportunity for party to grow in Andhra Pradesh

In what comes as a major blow to the BJP government at the Centre, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Friday decided to quit the NDA, days after two of its ministers resigned from the Modi government following the Centre's refusal to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP moved a no-confidence motion against the Modi government which was received by the Lok Sabha speaker, Sumitra Mahajan, however, she said the motion cannot be brought to the House if it is not in order and adjourned the House till Monday.

Here are the latest developments:

Centre endlessly waiting for Andhra Pradesh to revert on special package: Arun Jaitley

Jaitley says the modalities of giving the special package were agreed way back in September 2016 but the state government only in January this year suggested a change in route of receiving funds, to which the Centre agreed but has not heard from it ever since.  

"A solution has been put on the table. It is for Andhra Pradesh to decide whether they want the resources or they want to make an issue (out of it)," he told PTI.

AIADMK's spokesperson expelled after offering conditional support to TDP's no-trust motion; says EPS, OPS afraid of BJP

Hours after saying that AIADMK MPs will support the TDP and YSRC's no-confidence motion against BJP-led NDA government if Centre fails to form the Cauvery Management Board, party spokesperson, KC Palanisamy has been expelled.

AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and Joint coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami made the decision to expel Palanisamy.

Shiv Sena non-committal on TDP's no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha

Maintaining suspense, the Shiv Sena - a NDA constituent and oldest ally of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - remained non-committal on the Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) proposed no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government in the Lok Sabha.

CPI to support TDP's no-confidence motion

The CPI will support the no-confidence motion moved by Andhra Pradesh parties against the NDA government, the party General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said.

The no-confidence motion is a logical conclusion as the NDA government has not honoured the promise made by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to accord Special Status to Andhra Pradesh (post formation of Telangana), he said.

AIADMK offers conditional support to TDP's no-trust motion

Tamil Nadu's AIADMK set conditions for its support to the no-trust vote.

Former MP and AIADMK spokesperson KC Palanisamy told IANS, "If the Centre refuses to set up the CMB and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) as the Supreme Court ordered, the AIADMK may support the no-trust motion."

With the third largest number of members (37) in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and Congress, the AIADMK was undecided whether to support or oppose the motion, said a senior party leader.

BJP says TDP's exit is an opportunity for the party to grow in Andhra Pradesh

BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao expressed confidence over sweeping the 2019 assembly election in Andhra Pradesh, like Tripura.

“We believe TDP is going tough in Andhra Pradesh. They are seeing a defeat for themselves in 2019 and they want to use this as an alibi to really retrieve their lost political ground,” Rao told ANI.

Rao said that the state government and the TDP are feeling the pinch of the public opinion going against them and added that the BJP will use the opportunity to grow as a political party.

Chandrababu Naidu explains exit from NDA

Chandrababu Naidu speaking in the Andhra Pradesh assembly said the decision to quit NDA was not for selfish reasons but for the interest of the state.

"For four years, I made all efforts, went to Delhi 29 times, asked many times. This was centre's last budget and there was no mention of Andhra Pradesh. We had to pull our ministers out of cabinet," the TDP chief said.

Lok Sabha adjourned

No-confidence motion received, but it cannot be brought to the House if it is not in order, says Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and adjourns Lok Sabha till Monday without over opposition protests.

TDP's no-trust motion

Letter of TDP MP Thota Narasimhan to Lok Sabha Secretary-General for moving motion on 'No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers' in the House. pic.twitter.com/Zwg5qge3Sw

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2018

TDP leaders' address in Delhi

Addressing the media in Delhi after exiting NDA, TDP leaders CM Ramesh, Thota Narsimhan, Ravindra Babu and others said, "BJP means 'Break Janta Promise'. We will be moving a no-confidence motion on Monday. Earlier in the day, Andhra Pradesh minister K S Jawahar told ANI, "BJP has cheated Telugu people, this time also they have succeeded in doing so, we will be moving a no-confidence motion."

READ: TDP moves no-confidence motion in Parliament after Chandrababu Naidu exits NDA

TDP has woken up, says Jagan

YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy today said the TDP had "woken up" to the needs of Andhra Pradesh by moving a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government over special status to the state. His remark came after the TDP this morning quit the NDA following the Centre's refusal to give the state Special Category Status.

After 4 years of relentless struggle and fight by YSRCP with people’s support for Special Category Status; finally the nation, including @ncbn’s TDP wakes up! (1/2)

— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) March 16, 2018

For YSRCP, interest of AP & its people is paramount, & above any political upmanship. Even if YSRCP moved the No Confidence Motion first, it's immaterial whose No Confidence Motion is taken.What matters is that the rights of the people of AP is ensured and the state gets the SCS!

— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) March 16, 2018

Congress to support TDP's no-trust motion

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president N Raghuveera Reddy has extended his support to the no-confidence motion against the Centre by Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress Party, reported ANI.

"We have been supporting Special Category Status for AP since the beginning. We want that people of AP to get justice. When no-confidence motion is moved you have to talk about government's failures, we contacting a lot of people," senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

"Our commitment to people of AP continues and this government has no business to take away that right of ours. It is only right that we fight collectively, it is the principle we are fighting on. Centre has exposed itself and that it does not stand by any ally," said Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury.

'TDP exit is a timely opportunity for BJP to grow in AP'

Reacting to the exiting, former cabinet minister Y S Chowdary told ANI, "It is unfortunate. We tried our best to be together but the present government ignored the sentiments & emotions of people of Andhra Pradesh, Emergency politburo was conducted in which TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu took decision to withdraw from NDA."

TDP's decision to quit was inevitable after its mischievous propaganda against Centre. People of AP have now realised that the TDP is resorting to lies to cover up its inept & inert governance.Far from being a threat, TDP's exit is a timely opportunity for the BJP to grow in AP.

— GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) March 16, 2018

AIADMK undecided

With the third largest number of members (37) in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and Congress, the AIADMK was undecided whether to support or oppose the motion, said a senior party leader. "The party will take a decision on the issue and one cannot comment on that now," the AIADMK leader told IANS preferring anonymity.

Asad's MIM extends support

MIM party will support the No Confidence motion in Lok Sabha today not only for failure on part of Modi Govt to implement State Reorganisation Act but failure to fulfill their promise to provide employment to youth & for injustice to Muslim Women and Minorities: Asaduddin Owaisi

Didi, CPI(M) welcome TDP's decision

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while welcoming TDP's decision said, "The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster. I appeal to all political parties in the Opposition to work closely together against atrocities, economic calamity and political instability."

CPI(M) supports the no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government. Its betrayal of the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh is inexcuseable. Its all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted.

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 16, 2018

YSR Congress' notice for no-trust motion

The YSR Congress yesterday gave a notice for moving a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led NDA government following the Centre's refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh and found unlikely support from its arch-rival Telugu Desam Party.

Letter of YSR Congress Party MP YV Subba Reddy to Lok Sabha Secretary-General for moving motion on 'No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers' in the house. pic.twitter.com/FADQCKVOig

— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2018

TDP backs Jagan

Later, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also said the TDP would support a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government at the Centre in the interest of Andhra Pradesh.

"We will support a no-confidence motion, whoever moves it. We will be ready for that and our 16-17 MPs will fully support that. We will cooperate with whoever fights for the state's rights," Naidu told the state Assembly.

Chandrababu slams PM Modi

On Wednesday, the Andhra Pradesh CM accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of "instigating other people" against him and his party TDP. Naidu's outburst capped a day of strong comments by him targeting BJP and the Prime Minister allegedly for being behind the corruption charges levelled by Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan against him and his son.

"Since it could not do anything to us on its own, the BJP is instigating others and try to interfere in Andhra politics like it did in Tamil Nadu. Should I get scared like a coward if Narendra Modi or NDA government instigate others against us?" Naidu said at a public meeting.

TDP lashes out at Pawan Kalyan

However, the TDP ministers on Thursday made an all-out attack against Pawan Kalyan alleging that the actor-turned-politician was targeting the TDP at the behest of the BJP.

Arun Jaitley rejects special status to AP

The party’s initial strategy was to wait for the BJP to make a move so that it could then cite it as a reason and break ties. It pulled out of the NDA government within hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s press conference wherein he had made it amply clear that the Andhra Pradesh government’s demands for a special status were unreasonable.

TDP pulls out its central ministers

Last week the TDP pulled its two ministers out of the central government but had stopped short of walking out of the alliance. P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and YS Chowdary in the Modi cabinet resigned a day after Naidu had announced his party's decision to walk out of the NDA. Following the resignation, BJP ministers Kamineni Srinivas and P Manikyala Rao also quit from the state cabinet on Thursday morning.

(With ENS and agency inputs)