Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has decided to pull out TDP’s two ministers from the Union Cabinet, however, the party would continue to be in alliance with the BJP, for now.
Naidu’s decision came in the late evening of Wednesday hours after finance minister Arun Jaitley explicitly revealed that the Centre can’t offer special status. However, the centre is ready to offer a special package with equivalent funding to the state.
Naidu held an emergency press briefing today and sais that Arun Jaitley’s statement was the last straw. “I laid out all the demands concerning special status for the state to the Centre, but the finance minister made it clear that he cannot give it. What is the purpose of joining the Cabinet when the Centre cannot resolve the state’s problems?” he asked.
“We have waited enough. We have believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Naidu, pointing out Jaitley statement that the Centre had already given Rs 4,000 crore to the state, said that the government is more interested in showing calculations than helping out.
“You were part of bifurcation. Now comparing with other states is not right. It’s not right to say that sentiments will not get funds. It is like degrading our state,” he said.
Andhra CM clarified that only the resignations of two TDP MPs – civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and minister of state for science and technology YS Chowdary – will occur on Thursday. However, quitting the BJP alliance will be taken at a later date.
“We have to see and plan what happens next from here. Telugu public is ready to fight and come out of this problem,” Naidu said.
He said that the decision to pull out the ministers was taken after consulting all the MPs and MLAs of the party. “The BJP has not fulfilled its promises. We have incurred big losses as a state. We never asked for bifurcation,” he said.
Furthermore, Naidu had called the PM’s office to inform him about the decision out of courtesy, but PM Modi did not come online.