Caught in a no-win scenario on the grant of ‘special status’ to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister and the Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is looking for a face-saving option from the NDA government, of which the TDP is a coalition partner.
Faced with a State-wide bandh call given by the YSR Congress on Tuesday and a private member’s bill on the subject by Congress Rajya Sabha MP, K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, scheduled to come up on Friday, the TDP members on Monday raised the issue in the Lok Sabha. They also staged a protest at the Parliament premises.
On Sunday at a news conference in Vijayawada Mr. Naidu expressed anguish over Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s recent statement ruling out special status to the State.
Delegation to meet PMHe said a delegation of the party MPs would impress upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi the Centre’s duty to discharge its obligations to the State.
According to the TDP sources, on Monday Union Minister M.Venkaiah Naidu called on Mr. Modi to discuss Mr. Naidu’s predicament and the Centre’s options to help him.
Mr. Modi is believed to have advised Mr. Venkaiah Naidu to speak with Mr. Jaitley and explore the possibility of inviting Mr. Naidu to Delhi to help him cope with the attack from the opposition.
The TDP and the BJP fought the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together on the promise of a special status.
