TDP to move no-trust motion against Centre

Suresh Dharur

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, July 13

After snapping ties with the BJP and walking out of the NDA, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is set to make a renewed attempt to move a no-confidence motion against the Centre in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament.

A notice for the no-trust motion would be given to register the party’s protest against the denial of special category status for Andhra Pradesh, sources said. The special status was promised at the time of the state’s bifurcation in 2014.

However, the NDA government subsequently rejected the demand in the light of the 14th Finance Commission’s report. Instead, it offered to provide monetary equivalent of the special status by sanctioning additional central funds to the state. The differences over the issue led to the exit of TDP, the biggest southern ally of the saffron party, in March this year. The 16-member regional party has also given no-confidence notice against the NDA government in the Lok Sabha, which could not be taken up due to a continuous uproar in the Lower House.

The TDP’s no-confidence motion gambit was in response to its arch rival YSR Congress sending a similar notice. However, the no-confidence motions against the government were not taken up due to repeated adjournments in Parliament.

With Assembly elections less than a year away, the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP is under increasing pressure to demonstrate its resolve to fight for securing special category status for the state. By pulling out of the NDA, the TDP has been able to contain the damage and salvage its image in the wake of growing public anger against the Centre over failure to keep the promises made in AP Reorganisation Act of 2014.

When TDP pulled out its representatives from the Union Cabinet, the move did not come as a surprise.