TDP part ways with NDA after Centre denies special state status; Chandrababu Naidu asks 2 Ministers to resign

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday asked his party's two central ministers to resign amid the growing strain in ties between his TDP and the BJP over alleged neglect of the state in the Union budget.

He said his party would come out of the NDA "but party-to-party issue (of ties with the BJP) will be decided later.

The two ministers are--Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary.

Addressing reporters at an emergency meeting, Naidu said,"This is the first step. We will go ahead with other actions later."

The Telugu Desam Party chief said he tried to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "courtesy" to inform him about the decision to quit but he did not come on line.

"Arun Jaitley's statement was the last straw. They are apparently predetermined. They don't appear to help the state," he said.

The decision came hours after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Centre can't offer special status to Andhra Pradesh, but would offer a special package with equivalent funding.