By extending support to the Bharatiya Janata Party quite openly in the Presidential elections, the YSR Congress party has virtually given up its demand that the Telugu Desam Party should severe its ties with the BJP and the MPs should come out of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre.
Almost at every public meeting and press conferences, YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy used to allege that the TDP was shamelessly clinging on to the BJP and enjoying power at the Centre, compromising on the demand for special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
He used to demand that the TDP should come out of the NDA immediately, if it had any concern towards the people of Andhra Pradesh.
But, now Jagan cannot make this demand. “How can he extend support to the BJP, while demanding that the TDP should severe its ties with it? Is it not unethical,” asked minister Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao, who resigned from YSRC to join the TDP.
Another TDP leader questioned how Jagan could give unconditional support to the BJP in presidential elections.
“He should have put the condition that he would support the BJP only if it granted special category status to AP,” he opined.
On this count, the TDP now feels Jagan’s meeting with Modi has in fact helped the Chandrababu Naidu government on the demand for special category status. In a way, Jagan has given a weapon to the TDP in the elections.
