Telugu Desam Party President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sought the support of Opposition parties to move a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which starts on Wednesday.
“I wish to bring to your notice the grave injustice caused to Andhra Pradesh due to inconsistencies in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and non-implementation of the assurances made by the then prime minister on the floor of the Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014,” Naidu said in a letter to parties, reported PTI.
“The then prime minister had specially assured to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh for five years to put the finances of the state on a firmer footing,” Naidu said. “This has not been implemented till today.”
In his letter, Naidu alleged that the United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress had adopted an “unscientific process” to pass the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill putting a severe financial burden on the state government. Six out of the eight infrastructure projects included in Schedule 13 of the Act “remain non-starters even after four years”, Naidu wrote in the letter.
The chief minister said in view of the continued “adamant attitude of the BJP-led NDA government”, the Telugu Desam Party has decided to move a no-confidence motion against the Modi government.
The Congress party has accepted the Telugu Desam Party’s request for support and said the no-confidence motion will be deliberated upon by the Congress Parliamentary Party before a decision is taken. “We believe any individual or party, irrespective of political differences, who wants to join hands with the Congress in championing this voice, is welcome to come and stand in consolidation with us and the people of Andhra Pradesh,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
On Monday, the TDP’s legislators met leaders of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Dravida Munntera Kazhagam’s Kanimozhi to seek their support for the no-confidence motion.
“We have always been with them [Telugu Desam Party],” Kanimozhi said after the meeting. “We will continue to support their demand. They are just asking what was promised on the floor of the House.”
Telugu Desam Party leaders also met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai to garner support for the no-confidence motion and Nationalist Congress Party leaders on Sunday, reported The Hindu.
In March, the party pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP over the Centre’s refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. The party also moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha during the previous Parliament session in March, but it could not be taken up as the House was not in order. The party had also accused the BJP-led government of not allocating enough funds for Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget this year.
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