Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has always prided himself for taking the right decision at the right time, but as TDP leaders feted him for completing 40 years in politics on Thursday, there was unspoken feeling that this time his timing was a bit off.
Although Naidu has now decided to divorce the NDA over his demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh, disquiet within the party had started last year itself. At the time, he asked his party to fulfil “mitra dharma”.
TDP leaders fear that this delay could cost them dear in the upcoming Assembly elections.
In February, when the Union Budget was announced, it was Chandrababu Naidu who took the lead and publicly expressed his disappointment over the lack of any special layout for AP. He held an emergency high-level strategy meeting, but decided to wait.
This delay, however, has created pressure on the TDP as the main opposition in the state, Jaganmohan Reddy’s YSR Congress, took advantage and upped the ante against the BJP-TDP on special status issue by promising to resign if the demands were not met and sitting on a dharna outside the Parliament.
Naidu had earlier accepted the special assistance package instead of special status and did not question the central government over last four years.
Once the opposition started mounting pressure, the TDP was forced to alter its strategy and decided to go for a step-by-step divorce - first protest in Parliament and raise demands, then Ministers to quit NDA and lastly walk out of the alliance.
Heading the state government, Naidu had compulsions that stopped him from taking on the Centre directly. There were other reasons too.
Firstly, there was no talk of a third front, and hence, no alternative for Naidu. Secondly, TDP did not want to accused of jumping the gun before exhausting all possible options. And lastly, Naidu wanted to make sure that YSR Congress does not take his place in the alliance with the BJP.
But the dominoes fell in such a way that TDP had break the coalition, blaming the Modi government for failing to fulfil promises made in AP Re-organisation Act.
But now, the special status issue has moved beyond just Andhra politics and has gained national implications. With TDP deciding to support the no-confidence motion against NDA government, Naidu has again taken centre stage.
Several opposition parties have decided to support TDP in their no-confidence motion amid talks of a new federal front to take on the BJP in 2019.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed the decision of TDP breaking the alliance and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also extended support.
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