Chandrababu Naidu to hold meet on TDP exit from NDA; ready to support YSR Congress's no-trust motion against Modi government

VIJAYAWADA:  The TDP, which has already walked out of the Modi government, is all set to bid adieu to the BJP-led NDA on Friday. Though relations between the two allies have been deteriorating in the last few weeks over the Centre’s refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh and its alleged indifference towards implementing provisions in the AP Reorganisation Act, the immediate trigger for the TDP to hasten for the exit door seems to be the main Opposition, YSR Congress Party’s no-confidence motion against the NDA government. 

Besides, Wednesday’s blistering attack on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his son Lokesh by none other than an ally, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, convinced the party top brass that this pincer movement by the YSRC and the Tollywood star is masterminded by the BJP Central leadership.

Chandrababu Naidu went into a huddle with ministers and senior party leaders at his chambers in the Assembly in the afternoon, after the YSRC served notice for moving a no-confidence motion against the Modi government on Friday. Naidu and colleagues, it is learnt, felt that “this is a trap” laid by the YSRC to show the TDP in poor light. 

“Under the circumstances, it is better to support the no-confidence motion. But we should send a message to the people that we are supporting it not for political mileage or out of compulsion,” the Chief Minister told his colleagues. Later, speaking in the Assembly, Naidu himself announced, “Some political parties are conspiring for temporary political gains. Some say they will move a no-confidence motion. We are also ready.. if necessary, if there is a no-trust motion against the Centre, moved by anyone, if the numbers are in place, our MPs will certainly support it.”

With this announcement, TDP sources said, it is untenable to continue in the NDA any longer. They also informed that the formal divorce with BJP could be announced at the party’s politburo meeting to be held on Friday evening. The TDP’s decision was waiting to happen ever since Naidu upped the ante against the Centre and pulled out of the NDA government last week.

 The party’s initial strategy was to wait for the BJP to make a move so that it could then cite it as a reason and break ties. It pulled out of the NDA government within hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s press conference wherein he had made it amply clear that the State government’s demands were unreasonable.

Now, the YSRC’s no-confidence motion and Pawan’s no-holds-barred attack, coming close on the heels of each other, have left Naidu with no other option. 

TDP sources pointed out that the party could not obviously abstain or vote for the government given the public anger against the BJP in the State.

They reasoned that Pawan’s U-turn and YSRC’s tactic are part of the BJP strategy to make it too hot for the TDP to continue in the NDA and that was what the Chief Minister had pointed out indirectly.

Meanwhile, YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy shot off letters to all parties, including TDP, to support the no-trust motion. Speaking to TNIE, YSRC MP YV Subba Reddy expressed the hope that all parties, including Congress, will support them.

“The notice has been served and the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha has been asked to include it in Business of the House tomorrow. We welcome the TDP’s decision to support. Naidu had till recently been opposing it.”

The YSRC had wanted to move the motion on March 21 but the party, afraid that the Budget Session could be adjourned sine die any day, advanced its plans. No-trust motion requires the support of at least 50 members. YSRC has five and the TDP 17 out of the 25 seats from the State. YSRC has contacted BJD, TMC and others to garner support though it is unlikely that the government will fall.

Naidu to call Mulayam, Mayawati?

There is a buzz in political circles that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu may talk to  BSP supremo Mayawati and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav after walking out of the NDA. Though TDP leaders are tight-lipped on the possible role Naidu may play in stitching together a third front, it is likely that he may touch base with regional satraps especially since he may be left with no allies in the State. Jana Sena chief Pawan on Thursday held talks with Left leaders.

Paswan hosts dinner for dalit MPs

NEW DELHI: Lok Janshakti Party chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, a constituent of the BJP-led NDA government, called a meeting of all Dalit members of Parliament on Thursday evening. Paswan had hosted a similar dinner after BJP’s rout in Bihar assembly polls in 2015. The meeting comes in the wake of Rashtriya Janata Dal defeating the BJP in Araria Lok Sabha and Jehanabad Assembly seats on Wednesday.

I am not sure if I will ascend the heights that my father has and earn a name like him. But I can assure you I will not bring a bad name to my father Chandrababu Naidu and grandfather NTR.

Nara Lokesh, IT Minister

There was nothing new in what Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan said against the State government. I raised most of those issues, including land and sand scams, long back. 

P Vishnu Kumar Raju, BJP floor leader.