NEW DELHI: In a huge setback for the
National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today formally decided to walk out of the coalition. The decision comes after Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party moved a no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha against the BJP-led
NDA government over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh (AP).
Here's how prominent leaders reacted to the pull-out:
* "BJP means 'Break Janta Promise'. We will be moving a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government in lok sabha on Monday," said TDP leaders CM Ramesh, Thota Narsimhan and Ravindra Babu in a media address.
* "BJP has started to play its dirty games. What they did in Tamil Nadu, where they encouraged smaller parties and created a rift within larger parties, now, they are trying to do similar things in AP," said TDP MP Jaydev Galla.
* "BJP has cheated Telugu people before, this time also they have succeeded in doing so," said KS Jawahar, AP excise minister.
* "I welcome the TDP's decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster. I appeal to all political parties in the opposition to work closely together against atrocities, economic calamity and political instability," said West Bengal chief minister
Mamata Banerjee.
* "It is unfortunate. We tried our best to be together but the present government ignored the sentiments & emotions of people of AP, Emergency politburo was conducted in which the TDP president N
Chandrababu Naidu took decision to withdraw from the NDA," said YS Chowdary, TDP MP in Rajya Sabha.
* "CPI(M) supports no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government. Its betrayal of the promise of special status for AP is inexcusable. Its all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted," said CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury.
* "My party will support the no confidence motion in lok sabha today. Modi government not only failed to implement State Reorganisation Act but it also failed to fulfill the promise of providing employment to youth. The party is also responsible for injustice to Muslims," said president of AIMIM Asaduddin Owaisi.
* "TDP's decision to quit was inevitable after its mischievous propaganda against the Centre as they are seeing a defeat for themselves in 2019 & they want to use this as an alibi to really retrieve lost political ground.. People of AP have now realized that the TDP is resorting to lies to cover up its inept & inert governance. Questions are being asked in AP as to why AP CM took 4 yrs to realize that this is not working. Far from being a threat, the TDP's exit is a timely opportunity for the BJP to grow in AP. For us it will prove to be the next Tripura," said GVL Narasimha Rao, BJP's national spokesperson.
* " We have been supporting special category status for AP since the beginning. We want that people of AP to get justice," said Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha.
* "Our party will support no-confidence motion against the centre by the TDP & YSR Congress Party," said AP Congress Committee President N Raghuveera Reddy.
* "Will see what happens in parliament, which party chooses to go which way. In a way it is election year & every state has demands & issues, it is not right for us to comment on it. It is a custom, Before actual elections, there is always a rehearsal in parliament," said union minister
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
* "AIADMK will support no-confidence motion if center fails to constitute Cauvery management board," said former AIADMK MP KC Palanisamy.
