Congress unit in AP demands action against BJP, TDP

Leaders of the Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, demanding appropriate action against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for their failure to deliver on their manifesto promises and assurances.

The Congress Party was referring to issues such as the grant of Special Status, delivery of a special package and other promises.

It maybe recalled that both parties had in their respective election manifestos made a few important promises and secured votes from the public that ensured that they formed the governments at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh.

The move by the Congress Party came a day after the Telugu Desam Party's two ministers in the central government submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the orders of party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Naidu took the decision to pull out his ministers from the central government after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley ruled out the grant of "special status" to Andhra Pradesh, saying it would be an unconstitutional step. Naidu responded by saying that this decision of the Centre was "hurtful and insulting."

In reciprocation, two BJP ministers in the Andhra Pradesh government submitted their resignations.

The next logical step is expected to be the TDP exiting from the NDA.

The TDP joined the NDA 46 months ago.

The TDP was deeply upset with the neglect of Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget. The party faces extreme pressure in the state ahead of assembly elections and the national election next year, with opposition parties accusing Naidu of failing Andhra Pradesh by not ensuring special status for it as a partner at the Centre.

A survey among the TDP cadre has shown that 95 per cent favour ending the partnership with the BJP.

TDP lawmakers have continuously pressured the government ever since the union budget was presented, disrupting parliament by shouting slogans demanding that Andhra Pradesh be given central funding under special status.

Other parties have joined in. Apart from Andhra Pradesh's chief opposition party the YSR Congress, lawmakers from the Congress and Trinamool Congress too protested in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Naidu had earlier this week said that he had visited Delhi 29 times over the demand for Special Status and not giving it as a right amounted to "insulting the sentiments" of the people of the state.

He is on record as saying that there can be "no compromise in protecting the state's interests".