Andhra special status: CM Naidu to protest by fasting on his birthday today

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will observe a day-long fast here on Friday to demand Special Category Status (SCS) to the state.

It is notable that Friday is also Naidu's birthday. Naidu will sit on hunger strike at Indira Gandhi Stadium from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm to pressurise the Centre to grant the SCS to Andhra Pradesh.

The hunger strike will be called 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' or 'Fight for Justice'.

The strategy for the hunger strike was finalised by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Naidu, on Monday.

Thirteen ministers of Naidu's cabinet will also organise simultaneous hunger strikes in the districts for which they are in-charge ministers. Remaining ministers will take part in the hunger strike along with the Chief Minister.

Chandrababu Naidu's TDP exits Modi govt but not NDA: Top 10 developments

Andhra Pradesh's ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by N Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday pulled out of the Narendra Modi government, with two of its minister in the Union Cabinet tendering their resignations. TDP’s exit from the Narendra Modi-led central government came as a result of the Centre’s refusal to grant Andhra Pradesh a special-category status.

However, a split within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre was averted for now, with the party deciding to remain in the alliance, a move many view as TDP’s attempt to keep the window for rapprochement open.

Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology & Earth Sciences Y S Chowdary, the two TDP ministers in the Modi government, met the prime minister on Thursday evening and tendered their letters of resignation. However, as of the time this report was filed, there had been no official word on whether the resignation letters were forwarded to President Ram Nath Kovind for acceptance. This has also set off speculations that back-channel talks could still be taking place to iron out differences.