In a jolt to the BJP, the TDP on Thursday quit the Modi government with its two ministers – Ashok Gajapati Raju (Civil Aviation) and Y.S. Chowdhry (MoS Science and Technology) – tendering their resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made a last-ditch attempt to stave off the development.
However, the two ministers said the party was still part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance and it was hopeful that the promises made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of its bifurcation like grant of special category status to the residual state and other financial demands would be met.
“The party took a decision last night that we should resign. We have resigned now. It was a matter of courtesy that we met the Prime Minister and presented our resignation,” Raju and Chowdhry told the media after meeting Modi at his residence.
Their resignation came shortly after Modi spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu over telephone and reportedly urged him to reconsider pulling out of the NDA government. But Naidu apparently told him of his compulsions.
In a related development, the BJP pulled out its two ministers from the Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday morning.
The action by the TDP, which has 16 members in the Lok Sabha and six in Rajya Sabha, will have no impact on the stability of the Modi government which has sufficient numbers in parliament but will be seen as a big political setback because TDP is the first pre-poll ally to pull out of the Centre in nearly four years.
“We are continuing as part of the NDA. The problems are well known and we are hopeful that the committments made by the national parties at the time of bifurcation will be met. Everyone in Andhra Pradesh wants that the promises should be implemented. Solutions are being attempted. We are trying to get solutions. We hope solutions will come. We have resigned in a cordial atmosphere,” Chowdhry said. IANS