Andhra Pradesh’s Telugu Desam Party Quits the NDA

NEW DELHI:
Andhra Pradesh’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – which has 16 MPs – today quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre a week after two of its representatives left the Narendra Modi government and a day after the YSR Congress moved a no-trust motion against the Modi government.
The N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP and the YSR Congress are extremely unhappy that the Centre has not given special status to Andhra Pradesh. The TDP pulling out of the NDA coalition hasn’t come as a complete surprise, considering two TDP members quit the Narendra Modi ministry in Delhi on March 8.
The TDP’s decision to quit the NDA was taken unanimously by the party politburo. The BJP has 275 MPs in the Lok Sabha, including two nominated MPs.
Yesterday, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Naidu announced support for a no-trust motion against the Centre moved by YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy. The no-trust motion was moved against the Modi government over its refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. It’s the first such move in the tenure of the NDA government. TDP and YSR Congress have been agitating in both Houses over the special status demand and the former has even pulled its ministers out of the central government.
YSR Congress MP Y V Subba Reddy gave the notice to the Lok Sabha secretariat for including the motion in Friday’s list of business. Government sources said the notice would need to be examined but would not make much headway unless a significant section of the opposition supported it.