Had TDP not allied with BJP, we would've won 15 more seats: Andhra CM
Guntur: Amid the ongoing tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) regarding special status for Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu claimed that if his party had not allied with the former, they would have won 15 more seats.
"Post bifurcation, we had tied up with the BJP. It was not for political gain, but solely with the intention of development. Had we not allied with the BJP, we would have won 15 more seats. They have cheated us on the special status front," Naidu said at the TDP's 37th formation day celebrations in Guntur on Thursday.
The TDP chief also accused the Centre of "spreading lies" regarding the quashing of the special category status for states.
"They (BJP) said the special category status is quashed. But even now, its benefits are being given to North-Eastern states. Then why are they not giving it to us? It is our right. The Centre is spreading lies," he said.
On March 16, the TDP reached a deadlock with the BJP over the issue of granting 'special category status' to Andhra Pradesh, which ultimately forced the party to quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition.
The TDP and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) also wrote to the Lok Sabha Secretary-General for moving a motion on 'No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers' in the House.
On Tuesday, the YSRCP announced that their MPs would resign from Lok Sabha and asked the TDP MPs to follow the suit over the issue of special status.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will camp in New Delhi on April two and three to meet leaders of various political parties and seek their support for the demand of special status to the state.
TDP sources on Thursday said the chief minister would confer with all non-BJP parties to explain the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh post-bifurcation and how the NDA government "failed" to honour the promises made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Already, the TDP MPs have handed over a letter written by Naidu to leaders of various parties and sought their support in the state's fight for its rights.
