AMN
Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary have submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening.
The two TDP leaders today met the Prime Minister at his residence in New Delhi and submitted their resignations. Later talking to reporters, Ashok Gajapathi Raju said, they have resigned but will continue to be a part of NDA.
Earlier, Mr Modi spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu amid a row over special status to Andhra Pradesh.
Last night, Mr Naidu had announced that his party has decided to pull out his two Ministers from the Central government.
“We strongly believe that we will not stop trying… We will continue to try and the 16th Lok Sabha is our deadline”, the outgoing Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary told reporters minutes after his meeting with the Prime Minister along with his colleague and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju here.
Commenting on Prime Minister’s reaction on their decision to resign, Mr Chowdary said the meeting was very cordial wherein Mr Modi told them that “I am with the state of Andhra Pradesh and for the people of Andhra Pradesh I will serve”.
He said, “Prime Minister told us it was unfortunate, because of all us have been working well together”.
To a question about TDP’s future course of action, he said, “the way forward is… we have to ensure that whatever the commitments given and mentioned in the AP Reorganisation Act as well as the promises given by the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on the floor of the Rajya Sabha… we have to pursue. We have been doing that”.
Mr Chowdary, who is the leader of the TDP Parliamentary party further said as TDP members will not be now part of the Ministry, “we will be in a better position” to fight for the state.
Mr Raju was critical of the manner the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation bill was passed during the UPA regime- “with the support of the BJP”, but said, “nobody is asking to take the clock back”.
“What we are requesting (the central government) to honour of the assurance given to the people”, he said. Both the leaders evaded direct reply on whether the protest by TDP members in both houses will continue, but Mr Raju maintained the bill that bifurcated united Andhra Pradesh was also passed amid pandemonium scenes.