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Andhra treated as if it isn’t part of India: CM Chandrababu Naidu ups pressure on Centre
Rival YSR Congress also hinted it might forge an alliance with the BJP if Chandrababu Naidu walks out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday accused the Centre of behaving as if “Andhra Pradesh was not part of India”, even as party lawmakers fuelled speculations of a pull-out of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from the BJP-led alliance.
In fast paced developments, the TDP’s rival, YSR Congress, hinted that it might forge an alliance with the BJP, if Naidu walks out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Naidu held a teleconference with party MPs in the morning and instructed them not to give up their agitation, a TDP leader said here. “What we got from the Centre in the (Union) budget was a pittance and there was no mention (of Andhra Pradesh) in his (finance minister Arun Jaitley) statement...” the leader quoted Naidu as saying.
“The Centre is treating us as if we, the people of Andhra Pradesh, are not part of the country,” Naidu added.
Naidu reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the way the Centre was treating the state on the implementation of the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act, which paved the way for bifurcation of the state for creation of Telangana in June 2014.
Party leaders, however, said Naidu he did not say anything about snapping ties with the BJP even as party law-makers from both the houses of Parliament for the fifth consecutive day demanded concrete assurances .
“We made the best of our efforts to bring pressure on the Centre concede our demands. We now have no option but to take a decision (on coming out of the NDA),” TDP Rajya Sabha member TG Venkatesh said.
Rival YSR Congress leaders hinted they were ready to join hands with the BJP, if the TDP breaks off from the NDA.
“Very soon, political equations in Andhra Pradesh are going to change and we will get an opportunity...” YSRC MP from Nellore Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy said in Delhi on Thursday night.
YSR Congress Rajya Sabha member V Vijay Sai Reddy found fault with TDP leader and junior science and technology minister YS Chowdary for demanding justice to Andhra Pradesh in the budget, despite being a member of the Union cabinet.
“Let the TDP come out of the NDA and the ministers quit their posts, before questioning the BJP on the injustice to AP,” Sai Reddy argued in the House on Friday.
Back home, YSRC spokesperson Ambati Rambabu said, “The TDP cannot just blame the BJP. Naidu is equally responsible for the injustice.” TDP leaders, however, alleged that YSR Congress party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy is trying to cosy up to the BJP to get out of CBI cases against him.
