After TDP exit, BJP says ready to do more than special status for Andhra Pradesh

A day after Telugu Desam Party’s exit from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said that it was ready to “do more than” the special status for Andhra Pradesh.

“We will explain to the people of Andhra Pradesh the things we have done for them in last 4 years and things we will do. We are ready to do more than the special status,” Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary said after the meeting of TDP leaders with Amit Shah.  

“We will pass a resolution in which we will explain to the people of Andhra Pradesh our stand on the issue said by Andhra CM. We're as much committed to the people as him,” the BJP leader said.

Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP on Friday pulled out of the NDA after Narendra Modi-led central government refused to grant the special status for Andhra Pradesh.

On being asked whether the TDP will come back to NDA folds, Madhav said, “You will have to ask that to the Telugu Desam Party.”

TDP is currently ruling Andhra Pradesh and has 16 MPs in the 545-member Lok Sabha. The party is demanding a special status to make up for the loses to the state after its division in 2014.

Earlier on Friday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that the Centre was willing to give a special package equivalent to a Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh.

"We have been waiting endlessly for a response from Andhra Pradesh to resolve the special package issue," Jaitley said.

Jaitley’s remark came hours after TDP moved a no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government in the lower house of Parliament.

Jaitley, however, said the Centre cannot give the so-called Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh after implementation of the 14th Finance Commission, which deals with sharing of central government’s financial resources with the states.