The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh is planning to move a no-confidence motion yet again in the upcoming monsoon session in the Parliament over the contentious issue of granting Special Category Status (SCS) to the state.
Andhra Chief Minister and TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday instructed his party MPs to speak to Parliamentarians from other political parties for the motion.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a complete washout in the second part of the budget session which started on March 5 and concluded on April 6 this year.
No business was transacted by the Lower House which has witnessed continued protests on a host of issues, ranging from the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, special economic package for Andhra Pradesh and a board for management of the Cauvery water, along with other issues.
The Lower House also saw the Budget, as well as some important bills being passed amid the din, without any debate.
On March 16, the TDP and the YSRCP, the chief opposition party in Andhra Pradesh, had also moved a no-confidence motions against the government over the issue of special category status for the state.
TDP had pulled out from BJP led NDA alliance in March this year alleging that the Centre had not fulfilled promises made during bifurcation.
Five Lok Sabha MPs of the YSRCP had submitted their resignations on April 6 -- the last day of budget session -- to protest against the refusal of the Central government to accord special status.
The Speaker accepted the resignations of the MPs with effect from June 20.
‘Special category status’ is a classification given by the Centre to assist in development of those states that face geographical and socio-economic disadvantages like hilly terrains, strategic international borders, tribal population, economic and infrastructural backwardness and non-viable state finances.
During discussion on the AP Reorganization Bill, 2014, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured five years of SCS for the residual state of Andhra Pradesh, but the present BJP government has said that the provision was dropped by the 14th Finance Commission.
IANS inputs