With YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy setting April 6 as the deadline for the Narendra Modi government to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh, the political atmosphere in the state has heated up.By declaring that his party MPs would resign from their posts on April 6 if the Modi government does not grant special category status by then, Jagan has virtually pushed Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the defensive.
Now, all eyes are on Naidu as to what he would do.
For the entire last week, the TDP made a hue and cry over the injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh in the Union budget and lack of implementation of several of promises made in AP Reorganisation Act.The TDP has almost decided to get out of the NDA and snap ties with the BJP, but the Centre has climbed down a bit and agreed to concede some major demands and release funds.However, as the things stand now, the TDP is not a position to take any drastic step, as the Centre said it is working out on the assistance to be given to the state as per the AP Reorganisation Act.
The YSRC has taken advantage of the helplessness of the TDP at this stage and made an announcement on the resignation of its MPs.Now, Naidu is forced to take a decision on continuing the alliance. If the TDP has to gain an edge over the YSRC, Naidu has to make an announcement much before the YSRC deadline on pulling out of the NDA on the pretext that the financial assistance announced by the Centre was not up to the expectations of the state.
But there is a problem for Naidu. If Modi takes a decision on special category status to AP after the TDP comes out of NDA, then the TDP will be at a huge disadvantage and the YSRC will benefit a lot as it can join hands with the BJP and fight the elections together!
Let us wait and see what Naidu will do now.
