Won't break alliance with BJP, will pressure Centre over funds to Andhra

Amaravati: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday decided to not break alliance with ally BJP-led NDA in a crucial meeting with the party MPs, senior MLAs and leaders in Amaravati on Sunday.

Party leader and Union Minister YS Chowdary said that it will however raise its concerns on issues related to Andhra Pradesh with the Centre. The party also maintained that it will launch protest if its demands are not fulfilled.

The meeting comes on the back of the TDP expressing its unhappiness over the Budget allocations to Andhra Pradesh and was reportedly called to review the party's ties with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

According to party sources, BJP chief Amit Shah dialed chief minister Chandrababu Naidu asking him to rethink the alliance. Shah asked Naidu to not take "tough decisions".

The chief minister who was highly disappointed with the Government at the Centre, had stated that no funds were allotted for various projects in the state and also for the construction of AP’s capital city Amaravati.

He said that various issues including the Polavaram project and the Duggirajupatnam port in Nellore district were ignored in the Budget.

Earlier on Saturday, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said that the party and the Centre would soon be extending the olive branch to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to resolve his concerns in a mutually beneficial to both parties.

"There seems to be some kind of unhappiness, we will talk it out. TDP is an old ally of the BJP. We will talk it out with them and will tell them we are committed to the interests of Andhra Pradesh," he said.

Madhav further said, "We at the BJP are committed not only to address the TDP's concerns with regard to the Budget proposals, but also, all other issues of concern that it may have. We will convince Naidu and the TDP not to think of severing their ties with the BJP or the NDA. They are a valuable ally."

Chandrababu Naidu had last week hinted at breaking alliance with the BJP.

Addressing a press conference in Amaravati at state secretariat, Naidu said, "If the BJP does not want to continue alliance then the TDP will on its own."

TDP-BJP alliance has soured over the past few years and took a turbulent turn with the Union Budget.