Chandrababu Naidu is visiting parliament over special category status demand for Andhra Pradesh
N Chandrababu Naidu, who broke ties with the BJP over demands for special category status for Andhra Pradesh, today visited the parliament and
met several opposition parties and BJP allies to generate support for the
no-confidence motion moved by his Telugu Desam Party against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Among the leaders Mr Naidu met in the central hall of parliament were Veerappa Moily of the Congress, Sharad Pawar of the NCP and Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal.
Mr Naidu also met Farooq Abdullah of the National Congress, Trinamool Congress's Sudip Bandyopadhyay, CPI's D Raja, V Maitreyan of the AIADMK, Apna Dal's Anupriya Patel and Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party.
While most opposition parties, including the Congress, have announced support for the motion, the government has the numbers to remain safe. The opposition says the move is about sending a message.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, TDP lawmaker TG Venkatesh had told reporters earlier in the day, "The chief minister is meeting key leaders in parliament to send across a message to the country that not only making commitments, but honouring it also is very important."
Chandrababu Naidu first paid tribute at Gandhi statue at parliament
The demand for the special category status for Andhra Pradesh has been a big issue ever since the bifurcation of the state which gave birth to Telangana in 2014. Mr Naidu said Andhra Pradesh was
promised a special category status, but the centre has refused what it was promised.
The TDP, once the BJP's biggest ally in south,
pulled out of the government last month over the special status issue. They sent a notice for a trust vote after arch-rival Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress sent a notice. The two parties are seen as involved in one-upmanship ahead of next year's assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, TDP lawmakers continued to protest outside the parliament house, demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh.
Lok Sabha MP Naramalli Sivaprasad, who has gain lot of attraction for his unique style of protesting, today dressed up as a folk dancer while demanding the special status along with other lawmakers from his party.
With inputs from PTI and ANI