President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday accepted the resignations of TDP ministers from the Modi government, a day after they stepped down in protest against the Centre's failure to give Andhra Pradesh a special status category.
"The President, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati and YS Chowdary from the union council of ministers with immediate effect," a statement from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
The President also directed that the work of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, held by Raju, will now be looked after by the Prime Minister. Chowdary was the Minister of State for Science and Technology.
Both ministers met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on Thursday evening and tendered their resignations.
Speaking to the media after submitting the resignation, Gajapathi Raju said that the Centre was viewing the Andhra people as ‘residue material’.
“The issue of Special Category Status should have been addressed by the Centre a long time ago,” Gajapathi Raju said.
“A considerable amount of time has already lapsed. The sentiments of the Andhra have to be addressed, and in these circumstances, unless we support our people, we hear them out and work for it, it does not make sense. So, our leader (Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu) has made a made the right decision,” YS Chowdary told reporters.
However, Chowdary said that the TDP would continue to be part of the BJP-led NDA government but none of its members would hold ministerial positions.
In a related development, the BJP pulled out its two ministers from the Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday morning.
Earlier in the day, Narendra Modi also made a call to the TDP president. There is speculation on what the PM would have told the CM who is currently sitting on the fence by withdrawing his ministers from the government but not pulling out his party from the alliance.
Meanwhile, the logjam in the Lok Sabha continued for the fifth consecutive day on Friday, amid continuing protests by TDP MPs demanding special category status for Andhra, among other issues.
As the House adjourned for the day, the TDP MPs as part of their routine, went to the Gandhi statue at Parliament with placards and raised slogans. They were joined on Friday by Ashok Gajapathi as well.
IANS inputs