MPs from Andhra Pradesh disrupt proceedings of the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Tuesday | Express PHOTO
VIJAYAWADA: Unconvinced by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s announcement that the Centre was committed to the implementation of the promises made to AP, TDP MPs are likely to continue their protests in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday.The party is of the view that mere assurances and statements will no longer work and they want the Centre to come out with concrete commitments that will result in tangible results.
AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who did not hide his displeasure over poor allocation for AP in the Union Budget, kept tabs on the happenings in the Parliament throughout the day on Tuesday and was in touch with his party MPs from time to time. He wanted them to explain to Parliament the injustice done to the state and the disappointment of the people of the state over the lack of budgetary allocations and delay in implementation of the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act.
He observed that the parties which were present at the time of bifurcation and the promises made to the state on the floor of the House were also present now. Naidu pointed out that in the last three and half years, only a small part of the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act was implemented and a lot more needed to be done. He wanted all the MPs to be part of the protest in Parliament for the cause of AP. He reminded them that other than interests of Andhra Pradesh, no other issue was important. 
TDP is pretty unhappy with the Budgetary allocations to Andhra Pradesh and this was clearly visible in the Parliament on Tuesday. Acting on his CM Naidu’s directions, the party MPs disrupted the proceedings in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday morning. They also staged a protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue holding placards with slogans, “Save Andhra Pradesh”, Do justice to Andhra Pradesh,” and “Implement the provisions of AP Reorganisation Act”.
The protesting MPs did not mince words in criticism of the Central Government. “We have been denied the benefits of all assurances given. Be it funding for Polavaram, funding for Amaravati or bridging the financial deficit gap. We have been maintaining alliance dharma and backed off following an assurance. But this is the last full budget, if things do not get done now, we do not believe it is going to be done,” MP Galla Jayadev said and added, “empty assurances are no longer acceptable”.
Even after Finance Minister’s statement in both the Houses, TDP MPs continued to protest. YSRC MPs too joined the protest in both the Houses. However, outside the Parliament, both of them accused one another of neglecting the interests of the state.The TDP members’ vociferous protests in Parliament put both its ally BJP and arch rival on back foot. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held discussions lasting around 30 minutes. However, the MPs were tight-lipped as to what transpired in the meeting.
Reliable sources told TNIE that the discussions were mainly about the Polavaram and the need for expeditious funding for the project. The Prime Minister told YS Chowdary that he would discuss the same with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and come back to them, the sources added.
