Won’t break alliance with BJP, says TDP

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday said it would not snap ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The assertion comes amid speculation that the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh might rethink its ties with the BJP in view of its disappointment over allocation of funds to the state in the Union Budget. 

“TDP will not break its alliance with the BJP-led NDA,” Party leader and Union minister Y S Chowdary said after a meeting of party MPs and senior leaders with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here Sunday afternoon. 

The meeting was reportedly called to review the party’s ties with BJP. Naidu was apparently upset with the saffron party over the poor allocation for the state in the Union Budget 2018 that was presented on February 1 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. 

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday telephoned Naidu and asked him not take any hasty decision, assuring to him to resolve the problems of the state. Accordingly, Chowdary said they would first raise issues concerning the state with the Centre and try to get them addressed. “If the Centre does not concede to our demands, then we will undertake protest both inside and outside Parliament,” he added. 

“It was all media speculation,” Chowdary said when asked if the TDP was ready for a divorce with the NDA. Asked if BJP chief Amit Shah had spoken with Naidu, he replied in the negative. He said Naidu did not speak to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP’s bickering ally, as some media reports had claimed. The BJP and the TDP are part of the ruling alliances in Andhra Pradesh and also at the Centre.