File Photo of PM Narendra Modi along with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu
Chandrababu Naidu's TDP has decided to pull out its two ministers from the government over the centre's refusal to give Andhra Pradesh central funding under a "special status", sources have told NDTV. Earlier in the day, Mr Naidu said that the Centre has a moral responsibility to fulfil the promises made to his state in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the TDP chief said: "During the 2014 election campaign, Modi had assured that if voted to power, the BJP would grant special category status to AP for 10 years, as against five years assured by the previous UPA government. Why has he forgotten his promise after becoming Prime Minister?"
Later, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in a press conference, said he agreed with the assessment that Andhra Pradesh was financially suffering after Telangana was carved out of the state and his government will honour each and every commitment made by the Centre at the time of bifurcation.
Here are the Highlights of TDP splitting alliance with BJP:
On Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's demand for fulfilling the promise of giving the state a special status, Arun Jaitley said such a category did exist when the state was bifurcated in 2014. But after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendation, such a treatment is now constitutionally restricted to just the North Eastern and three hilly states.
News agency PTI reports that TDP's Ashok Gajapati Raju attended a meeting of the Union Cabinet this evening, amid speculations that his party would break its alliance with the NDA over demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh. A minister present in the meeting said Mr Raju attended the cabinet meeting in which several agreements to be signed with France during its president's visit to the country were finalised.
Will give special category status to Andhra Pradesh: Rahul Gandhi
"We will give special category status to Andhra Pradesh. It's the first thing we will do after coming to power in 2019," Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said on Tuesday, also urging opposition parties to unite to "force the BJP government to do justice to the people of Andhra."
As a courtesy and being a responsible senior politician, I tried reaching out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inform about our decision. He was unavailable: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
Chandrababu Naidu.
"Posts are not important to us, only state's interests are important. We have to work hard, continue fighting for our rights and move forward for the development of the state," Mr Naidu tells announcing decision to pull out its two ministers from central government. TDP's Ashok Gajapathi Raju is Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Y S Chowdary is Minister of State for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences.
"They did not take into account the sentiments of people of Andhra Pradesh. Only in the interests of the state, we went into alliance with BJP and became part of the union government. But for four years now, nothing has been done despite making several efforts. That is why we took the decision of withdrawing our ministers": Chandrababu Naidu tells reporters in Amaravati.
I went to Delhi 29 times, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and central ministers, requested them to fulfill our demands: Chandrababu Naidu
Read: Arun Jaitley On Funds To Andhra PradeshWith TDP threatening to quit the NDA government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today stepped in to pacify the sulking partner saying the Centre is committed to giving Andhra Pradesh financial assistance equivalent to a special category state.
I have avoided any inflammable or provocative comments. I have been diplomatic in firm manner. I didn't use any harsh language for BJP leadership in Delhi. Tried to explain once again what wrong happened to Andhra Pradesh: Chandrababu Naidu addressing media in state capital Amaravati.
Chandra Babu Naidu addressing a press conference in Amaravati says, "I would like to see how BJP will now react. Andhra Pradesh is not getting its dues under Andhra Pradesh Reorginisation Act. Would love to see how centre reacts to it, then plan further course of action."
"We have spoken about injustices to Andhra Pradesh, we have huge revenue deficit. We wanted institutions, wanted a new capital. Remarks of Arun Jaitley suggested we were asking for so much money and wanted too much," says Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at a press conference announcing split with NDA.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu says that the promises made by the centre during bifurcation were not kept.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announces split with BJP-led NDA. Two union ministers from TDP will quit tomorrow morning.