TDP quits [pushed out of] Modi ministry

• Both Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary handed over their resignation letters to Modi on Mar 8, 2018. Reacting to the TDP’s decision, two of the BJP ministers in the AP government, have also handed in their resignations a day earlier.
• The ‘uneasy’ ties between the BJP and the TDP hurtled to the edge with both partners hardening their stances on the issue of SCS. FM Arun Jaitley’s statement on Mar 7, 2018, when he categorically ruled out SCS, with added sarcasm and awkward body language, had precipitated matters. In essence BJP has pushed TDP out of Modi's NDA ministry.
• Modi reportedly made a call to Chandrababu Naidu in the evening. The TDP chief had spoken his mind on how the Centre had reneged on its promise, his 29 visits to the national Capital and finally, the PM not taking attending to his call on Mar 7, 2018. Naidu also told Modi that the people of AP were seething over FM Arun Jaitley's insulting comments. Naidu had asked Modi to do something for AP "since he had the authority".
• Naidu declined Modi's suggestion to come over to Delhi for discussions maintaining that the irreversible process has started and there is nothing for him to discuss. It is for Modi to honor all promises made in parliament and implement provisions of AP Re-organisation Act quickly since 4 years had already elapsed. Failing which TDP may exit from NDA too, very soon.
• Naidu said that Jaitley's statement was insulting to the TDP. Naidu slammed the FM for saying "sentiments will not decide the quantum of funds". Naidu's decision was appreciated and supported by all non-BJP parties.
• One national party has deceived AP and other national party has cheated AP. It’s for the nation to understand which is one and two, YS Chowdary said. The beauty of democracy, he further said, was to bring unanimity and make everyone happy and this was the BJP's responsibility.
• Between 2015-17, while Naidu made 29 trips to Delhi, during 2018 he was not even granted appointment by Modi indicating deterioration of ties. "This is the first step. We will go ahead with other actions later," PTI quoted Naidu.
• "We are committed to giving monetary equivalent to SCS to Andhra Pradesh ..." is the sentence repeatedly said by FM Jaitley and other BJP leaders, during the past 4 years, but in reality very little help was extended to AP. They adapted all kinds of delaying tactics especially for Polavaram project and capital Amaravati.
• The Congress said "The parochial autocratic alliance led by Narendra Modi could never accept a divergence of opinions or plurality and the splintering of the NDA that you are seeing now is a reflection of that philosophy of the PM and the BJP. And it does not start or end here." They said TDP is the oldest ally of the NDA as Naidu used to be the convener of the NDA, and Naidu showed the courage of his conviction to call a spade a spade in speaking out when Modi was the CM of Gujarat.
• “You cannot run away from your responsibility by attacking us. The Congress party was completely routed from AP for hurting the sentiments of the people. If you continue to hurt our sentiments by denying SCS, which is our right, you will have to meet the same fate” Naidu said.
• Prior to resignations announcement, TDP leaders said the BJP had pushed them to a position where taking a “tough stand” was the only option left. Naidu said he will take a call on whether or not to remain in the NDA before the second leg of the budget session ends. 
• FM Arun Jaitley citing 14th Finance Commissions recommendations coming in the way of granting SCS to AP is totally false and misleading. Even its former chairman YV Reddy clarified this matter. There is no body which comes in the way of working of Parliament and Central Government within the frame work of constitution. Modi is the real culprit and villain. All others are just parrots.

Most central ministers are sympathetic towards the problems of AP ever since AP Re-organisation in 2014, it was Modi who was adamant in not extending necessary help to AP. All the ministers are just speaking his mind while he is maintaining silence. Modi has no respect for statutes, institutions & people and his propensity is to bend constitution, acts and rules to suit what ever he wants to do without following any kind of democratic process. His style has chilling similarity with Italy's fascist dictator Mussolini and his actions are with spectacles without any substance. While Modi is adamant by nature and has 16 year old grievances against Naidu, nothing will happen since BJP's LS numbers are comfortable. TDP exiting NDA is a certainty and that is good for AP too. But with all major parties ditching NDA, BJP saddled with all round failures of Modi will have uphill task in 2019 elections with Rahul Gandhi's graph rising day by day and UPA scams losing its charm. BJP ending up in opposition benches is not ruled out. If Rahul Gandhi becomes PM in 2019, the credit goes to Modi for achieving this impossible feat in 5 years which Sonia Gandhi couldn't do in her 10 year UPA regime.

The present crisis provides an opportunity to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu to resign and declare his solidarity with the people of his home state of AP. He has already been sidelined by Modi when nominated to VP's post last year. Having reached dead end of his political career, Venkaiah Naidu must rise above politics and become a "hero of a cause" emulating Kakani Venkataratnam in 1973.

ABN Andhra Jyothi - RK Kothapaluku Sep 11, 2016

• The editorial shows RK's shift from AP towards TRS and BJP suggestive of accepting their superiority just because they are at giving end and AP at receiving end. This is unprincipled.
• Even though Pawan Kalyan's outbursts at Kakinada indicates his political immaturity but reflects the feelings of people of AP in reality.
• The 'Central Assistance to AP' package unveiled by Arun Jaitley & Venkaiah Naidu on Sep 08, 2016 falls short of fulfilling the obligations of Central Government contained in AP Reorganisation Act 2014 and promises made by then PM on the floor of RS while passing the bill at the behest of BJP leaders. Hence it is outright rejectable. No person with some kind of self respect will suggest its acceptance.
• RK quoting Andhra leaders walking out of Madras city immediately on announcing Andhra statehood without Madras city is only on the persuasion by Nehru to resolve the issue arising out of death of Potti Sreeramulu and its aftermath and avoiding conflict with stubborn C.Rajagopalachari CM, Madras state rather than any thing else. Nehru assured Andhra leaders about his acceptance to form linguistic states very soon and first linguistic state will be with merger of Andhra state and nine telugu speaking districts of Hyderabad state with Hyderabad city as its capital. Distorting facts and  writing in obscene language is indicative of either ignorance of facts or stupidity or both, by RK.
• RK should realise that Andhra statehood including Northern parts of Madras city was recommended by Madras Governor to Viceroy in 1930's but due to World War II it got stalled. Andhra statehood was promised by Gandhi in early 1940's but were asked to wait till independence.  But Gandhi died with in months of independence. It was C. Rajagopalchari powerful Tamil CM of Madras who could stall creation of Andhra state that resulted in frustration, fasting and death of Potti Sreeramulu. Trying to avoid confrontation with CR, Nehru persuaded Andhra leaders to forego Madras city and promised Hyderabad city while forming linguistic state of Andhra Pradesh. In the light of these facts, RK's loose comments on Andhra is uncharitable and despicable.
• Chandrababu Naidu, TDP CM of AP has full majority in the Assembly and he could very well reject the insulting package of Modi and survive in power. Who knows who will win in 2019 elections. I wish Modi not. Principles, self respect (NTR's anti Indira slogan of 1983) and political honesty are not negotiable and few thousands of crores is not worthy of that. 
• I would be glad if CBN calls it a day with BJP both at Centre & State and rejects the package and files 'writ of mandamus' in SC for directing Centre to fulfill its obligations of centre to AP as per AP Reorganisation Act 2014, which they didn't do deliberately on some pretext or other.
• Hats off to ONGC Charman Dinesh K Sarraf for filing case against Reliance as A1 and Union Government Ministry of Petroleum (70% shareholder in ONGC) as A2 in 'Great Indian Gas Robbery by Reliance' and safeguarding ONGC interests walking extra miles. I wish Chandra Babu Naidu to take clue from this.
• Venkaiah Naidu & Arun Jaitley (both opposition BJP leaders in RS then) has raised the matter of  'Special category Status' for AP in Rajya Sabha in 2014 and projected this as a magic wand which will solve all the problems arising out of mindless bifurcation of state by both Congress & BJP and the same was agreed on the floor of RS by the then UPA PM in the form of statement minutes before passing the Bill. And now same Venkaiah Naidu & Arun Jaitley, Central Ministers, at the behest of PM Modi, dares to say that certain NDC procedures doesn't allow them for granting SCS to AP now and came out with another magic wand called 'Central Assistance to AP' package which in its true sense is half of the obligations as per AP Reorganisation Act 2014 and expects AP people just accept it without applying their mind & brain. What an audacity on the part of BJP leaders for this shameless gesture. If they have guts let them conduct public meeting at Benz Centre, Vijayawada, talk about this and walk out in single piece without Police protection. 
• Needless to say that Union Government is accountable to Parliament only and nobody else as long as it follows Constitution and its statutes. Planning Commission, NDC etc are its subordinate organisations and their procedures are not binding on Union Cabinet. Even less educated person can vouch for this. BJP should understand what they are talking on SCS not granting to AP.
• If I have the authority, I would reject the package in its totality and insist on fulfilling AP Reorganisation Act 2014 provisions and promises made on the floor of Rajya Sabha to be in full, come what may within reasonable time frame.
• RK's suggestion to accept package and whatever it is worth, is unacceptable non-sense. People of AP are not beggars with begging bowl kneeling in front of Modi to accept what ever he feels like giving.
• RK praising KCR and his tendencies as a great political skills in another nonsense. On other hand High Court and Supreme Court admonished him for his illegal acts in at least 15 cases and some more cases in pipe line. I haven't seen such a shameless CM losing 15 cases in courts and continuing in that position. KCR resisting to hand over assets due to AP even after SC judgement and its time limit expired indicates how much respect he has for constitution, laws of the land etc. And height of stupidity is RK praising his maneuvers as great administrative skills.
• The writing will go endless and is worth stopping here.
• I wish RK will regain his lost senses.