VIJAYAWADA: After a lull, the tussle between the BJP and the TDP resumed Friday with the latter deciding to send letters to leaders and MPs of all the political parties in the country, explaining the ‘injustice’ being meted out to the State by the NDA government, ahead of the second half of the Budget session which resumes on March 5.
Hours after TDP chief and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took this decision at a meeting of his MPs, BJP president Amit Shah called him and invited him to Delhi for talks on March 5. However, sources said, the Chief Minister informed him that he could send Union Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary, MP Rammohan Naidu and AP Planning Board vice-chairman Kutumba Rao.
The sources said Naidu told Shah that there can be no compromise on the issue of state’s interests and made it clear that “the TDP will continue to fight for special status and Central assistance to the State, without fail in Parliament.”
Earlier in the day, Naidu chaired a meeting of TDP MPs for over four hours. It was felt at the meeting that since MPs from all political parties were present in Parliament at the time of the passage of the AP Reorganisation Bill, it was the responsibility of all these parties to also ensure justice to Andhra Pradesh. The move is significant since Naidu seems keen on mobilising the support of all the parties. Emerging from the meeting, the TDP MPs vowed to stall proceedings in Parliament and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju in fact said he was ready to resign.
Addressing the meeting, Naidu observed that people were of the view that the BJP too was doing injustice to the state much like the Congress. “They (Centre) say that they have sent a formula for bridging the revenue deficit for the year 2014-15. What formula? It is unfair to ask us. After all, it is the responsibility of the Centre to keep its word,” he said and regretted that following the division of the State, “the number of MPs has come down” and with it the bargaining power of the Telugu States. “We are forced to depend on national parties but if the latter neglect us, they will have to pay a heavy price,” he remarked. Naidu also elicited the opinions of the MPs by meeting them individually.
No backing down
TDP MPs including Galla Jayadev said they would continue to disrupt Parliament and move the apex court if push came to shove. AP Planning Board V-C Kutumba Rao indicated there was no headway in the talks with the Centre on special package.