TDP & NDA divorced: how many will support ‘no-confidence’ motion?

All are glued to their television sets to know whether the TDP’s ‘no-confidence’ motion will be passed in the Parliament.

Will it? Who are all supporting this motion?

READ ALSO: This is what is going to happen if TDP & NDA split up

Here are the LIVE UPDATES:

3:01 pm

The AIADMK today said its top leadership will decide on the party’s stand on the no-confidence motion moved against the Narendra Modi government by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar indicated that party coordinator O Panneerselvam and co-coordinator K Palaniswami will decide on the matter. “The party leadership will decide whether to support or not (the no-confidence motion),” Jayakumar, the state fisheries minister, told reporters here. Being the “third largest party” in the Lok Sabha by virtue of its 37-member strength, there was an eagerness across the country on the party’s stand on this matter, he told reporters. “The coordinator (Panneerselvam) and co-coordinator (Palaniswami) will take an appropriate decision. AIADMK will take the decision when the no-confidence motion is taken up,” he added.

2:39 pm

“It is not about pulling down the government, the intention is to discuss in Parliament the injustice meted to Andhra Pradesh. Jana Sena was the party that initiated it (the idea of no-confidence motion) and later due to public pressure YSRCP, TDP were forced to do it,” says Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan.

2:37 pm

“Bifurcation promises have not yet fulfilled. Had special status been included in the Act in the Lok Sabha then, this situation would not have arisen. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that sentiment cannot increase quantum of funds. What a reckless statement. Telangana was carved for sentiment. Sentiment is very powerful. Even now you are doing injustice. TDP has survived many crises and we can sail through this situation. I wrote many letters to the Centre. Recently also I gave a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi but nothing materialised,” says Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu in state assembly.

2:35 pm

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s tally may drop by 100-110 seats in the next Lok Sabha polls in 2019, if the current trends and the results of the recent bypolls are an indicator, its ally Shiv Sena said in a gloomy prediction on Friday. “The twin wins by the Samajwadi Party in BJP bastions like Gorakhpur and Phulpur has created panic in the BJP camp even as they were busy celebrating the party’s victory in a small state like Tripura last week,” the Sena said. “Lalu is in jail for corruption… and that could be a politics of vendetta. Despite that, if he can get ‘sympathy’, then it’s a big blow to both Nitish Kumar and Modi… The outcome has thrown down the BJP from the sky to the ground,” the Sena said. “Amidst all this, it is clear now, that in 2019, the BJP’s numbers will not be 280, but it will plummet by at least 100-110 seats. The elections are not being fought in Russia, America, Canada, France or Israel, but in India. So they (BJP) should keep their feet on the ground here,” the Sena warned.

2:20 pm

The Lok Sabha today could not take up notices for a no-confidence motion against the NDA government moved by Andhra Pradesh parties, with Speaker Sumitra Mahajan saying there was no order in the House and adjourned the proceedings for the day amid vociferous protests over various issues. The no-confidence notices were moved by YSR Congress member Y V Subba Reddy and TDP’s Thota Narasimham. Soon after papers and reports were laid during the Zero Hour, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she has received a notice for no-confidence motion. “I am duty-bound to bring it… provided the House is in order,” she said amid the din. “I request all of you to go back to your seats,” Mahajan told the members protesting in the Well. As the members continued with the protests, the Speaker said since the House is not in order, she was unable to take up the notice and then adjourned the proceedings for the day.

1:39 pm

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu tweeted:

Telugu Desam Party has decided to officially exit the National Democratic Alliance due to failure in fulfilling the promises made in the State Reorganisation Act.
This decision was taken unanimously, in a teleconference with Politburo members, today.

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 16, 2018

1:21 pm

On a day the Telegu Desam Party severed its ties with the BJP, another ally Janata Dal (United) has said that the special status demand for Bihar should also be “taken seriously”. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi told reporters in Delhi that “earlier Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also asked for special status and we will continue to fight for it”. Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav had last week accused Nitish Kumar of forgetting the special status demand after joining hands with the BJP. 

1:11 pm

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has moved the no-confidence motion for Monday:

1:06 pm

“When a no-confidence motion is moved, 50 MPs should stand in its support and 50 MPs did stand but Speaker said it cannot be considered as House is not in order. So, I want to ask what does the government fear? They have a huge majority in Lok Sabha,” says Congress’ Shashi Tharoor.

1:03 pm

The no-confidence motion can be accepted only if it has the support of at least 50 members in the House. With the BJP alone having 274 members in the 536-member Lok Sabha and enjoying the support of allies, the no-confidence motion, if accepted, is certain to be defeated but it has the potential to put the saffron party in a tight corner in the state.

1:02 pm

TDP leader Thota Narasimham today moved a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha. “We go according to principles. Our leader felt being part of NDA and moving a no-confidence motion would not be ethical. So we withdrew from the NDA and I have issued a letter on no-confidence motion to the speaker at 9.30 am,” Narasimham, the TDP’s floor leader in the Lok Sabha, told reporters. His colleague, C M Ramesh added that YSR Congress MP Vijaysai Reddy was seen making attempts to meet the Prime Minister and this hinted at a nexus between both parties. “We have no confidence in their no-confidence motion, so we have decided to go on our own,” he said. “If it is not taken due to lack of time today, on Monday we will get signatures from 54 MPs from various other parties and push for a no-confidence motion vigorously,” Ramesh said.

1:00 pm

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were disrupted for the 10th consecutive day today as TDP, YSR Congress, AIADMK and RJD continued their noisy protests over various issues, including the banking scam and special status for Andhra Pradesh. As soon as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan took up the Question Hour, members from these parties trooped into the Well holding placards. While members from the TDP, YSR Congress, TRS, AIADMK and RJD were in the Well raising slogans and holding placards, MPs from the Samajwadi Party and Left were seen standing at their seats and shouting slogans.

READ ALSO: BREAKING NEWS! THESE PARTIES JOINS TDP’S MOTION

12:50 pm

YSR Congress MP Midhun Reddy speaks to CNN News18 and said “Telugu Desam Party has changed its version multiple times in past one month. Chandrababu Naidu in the assembly said that resignations and no confidence motion are useless. Now, that they have understood that it’s going against them, they had no option but to support. We are even now ready to join anyone who is ready to support the cause.”

12:42 pm

Andhra Pradesh BJP leaders have been called to Delhi for an emergency meeting. This comes as the TDP MPs are having a meeting of their own inside Parliament. Sources say, TMC MPs, too, are gathered in a huddle.

12:38 pm

Political analysts argue that the success of a vote of confidence should not be measured merely by the motion’s defeat, rather how it plays out as a strategy. No-confidence motions have been moved in the past while debating an issue, while it did not defeat the regime, it did expose the government’s stance.  This particular vote is going to play out at a time when many states are going to polls and the general elections just a year away. The motion will work to draw political battle lines and help up the ante against the ruling BJP government. A no-confidence motion is an accepted and legitimate political strategy used by parties to mount pressure on the government, get focus on the issue and mobilise public opinion. The motion will facilitate discussion on the implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act of 2014. If the numbers match up, it will be an opportunity to bring the regional issue to be debated at a national level.

12:37 pm

A motion of no-confidence is a statement or a vote declaring that a person or group in a position of power is deemed no longer fit to hold that position. The vote is carried out if the person or group has failed to carry out obligations or are making decisions that other members feel are detrimental. As a parliamentary motion, it demonstrates to the head of the state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government. The Lok Sabha, till date, has witnessed 26 no-confidence motions. The first was moved in 1963, against the Jawaharlal Nehru-led government by socialist Acharya Kriplani. The most famous of the lot was in 1999 when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government had to resign after the government lost the vote of confidence by a single vote.

12:36 pm

With the BJP government enjoying absolute majority in Lok Sabha, the central government is under no threat of collapsing. The TDP, therefore, is taking on the matter as the public is associating the matter with Telugu pride and the issue is a hot election topic. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP’s decision to move the no-confidence motion is what pushed the TDP to jump the gun and do so themselves. The ruling TDP had earlier termed the move a ‘drama’ and alleged that the YSRCP was attempting to break the BJP-TDP alliance for its own benefit.

12:32 pm

Chandrababu Naidu first pulled his ministers out of the Union Cabinet, then TDP MPs moved amendments to the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha and finally, just ahead of YSR Congress’ no-confidence motion, Naidu snapped ties with the NDA.

12:30 pm

Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan has said that the no-confidence motion has been received but it cannot be brought to the House if it is not in order. Meanwhile, TRS and AIADMK members have stormed the house of the well.

12:29 pm

Top sources in the government have told News18 that CM Chandrababu Naidu is trying to create an impression of not receiving any help. “Rs 2,500 crores were given to build Vidhan Sabha, government offices and houses. Not even the foundation stone has been laid for any of this in the last four years. Naidu is trying to create an impression of no help, which isn’t true. We had promised a monetary equivalent to Special Status not once but multiple times. The CM only had to tell us the special purpose vehicle through which this could be done but he didn’t,” said the source.

12:23 pm

In their step-by-step fight, the Telugu Desam party was waiting for the tabling of the Finance Bill, which was their last hope. However, the Finance Bill was passed in Parliament, rejecting all the amendments raised by Andhra Pradesh. On March 12th, the Home Ministry already conveyed to the TDP that their main demand — the Railway zone in Vizag — cannot be fulfilled. Earlier, Arun Jaitley had categorically denied granting Special Status to Andhra Pradesh and hurt the party with comments that “sentiments cannot get funds”. 

12:19 pm

The remarks come after Pawan Kalyan, Jana Sena party chief, made serious allegations of corruption against Chandrababu Naidu and his son, Nara Lokesh at a public meeting in Guntur on Wednesday. “There are corruption charges against Chandrababu Naidu’s son, Nara Lokesh. Does Naidu know about this and if he does, why is he silent? Where is the all the money coming from? Even NTR’s soul will never forgive this,” he said. (2/2)

12:17 pm

TDP leaders said that Naidu is livid with the BJP playing “dirty” politics instead of resolving the issues faced by the people. The Andhra CM, while addressing his party leaders via teleconference, attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hit out at the BJP for pitting others against him. “Instead of giving what Andhra Pradesh people are rightfully asking for, the BJP is resorting to using Jagan Mohan Reddy and Pawan Kalyan against us,” Naidu said.

12:12 pm

The Andhra Pradesh state president of the Congress, N Raghuveera Reddy, is claiming that their government did give special status to the state but when the regime changed, the BJP did not follow through. “The UPA government gave Special Status to Andhra Pradesh but BJP did not follow it up. We have been fighting it up for the last four days. Our leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Mallikarjun Kharge have been calling all other parties since yesterday. They’ve called about 20 parties till now.

12:02 pm

K Chandrashekhar Rao’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MPs are meeting to decide whether they would support the no-confidence motion or not. “Everyone is welcome to the new front which is non-BJP, non-Congress,” says a party source. Meanwhile, TDP MP Shivaprasad, famous for his various get-ups to Parliament as a form of protest against the Union government for not granting Special Status to AP is today a fisherman.

11:52 am

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said that the party will support the no-confidence motion. “We will support the motion in Lok Sabha today. Not only for failure on part of the Narendra Modi government to implement the State Reorganisation Act but also the failure to fulfill their promise of employment to youth and working against injustice meted out to Muslim women, minorities,” he said.

11:47 am

Sitaram Yechury tweeted:

CPI(M) supports the no-confidence motion being brought against the BJP government. Its betrayal of the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh is inexcuseable. Its all-round failure and evasion of parliamentary accountability needs to be highlighted.

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 16, 2018

11:44 am

Meanwhile Jagan Mohan Reddy tweeted:

After 4 years of relentless struggle and fight by YSRCP with people’s support for Special Category Status; finally the nation, including @ncbn’s TDP wakes up! (1/2)

— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) March 16, 2018

Even if guided by political compulsion, TDP had to yet again follow YSRCP’s lead of moving no confidence motion against the Central Govt for not granting SCS to AP. Win for democracy & people of AP. YSRCP will continue to fight for SCS, the rights of the people of AP(2/2)

— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) March 16, 2018

READ ALSO: Telugu Desam Party to break alliance with NDA-BJP and support Congress

11:37 am

The TDP had returned to BJP-led NDA a month before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. It had severed ties with the BJP after its debacle at the hands of Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy-led Congress in 2004. Naidu had even called BJP a communal party which had drowned him with it. The popularity of Jaganmohan Reddy and the Modi wave in urban pockets of AP forced Naidu to go for an alliance with the BJP. He had taken a huge risk and it had paid off. But the relationship has never been the same post results. Naidu was miffed with Modi over the allocation of portfolios to no special aid to Andhra Pradesh. Realising that BJP was keeping back-channel talks with the YSRCP open, Naidu decided to pull the plug. 

11:36 am

Earlier, Chandrababu Naidu’s party had decided to support YSR Congress Party’s motion against the Modi government in the Parliament. However, after a meeting of the TDP members, they decided to give a separate no-confidence motion. The Andhra Pradesh chief minister had been under pressure from YSR Congress chief Jagan Reddy, who had dared him to pull out of the alliance as both leaders engage in a game of one-upmanship on the issue of special status. Reddy had alleged that Naidu was not doing so as he was afraid of “witch-hunting” by Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

11:30 am

Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed the TDP’s decision and said on her Twitter handle:

I welcome the TDP’s decision to leave the NDA. The current situation warrants such action to save the country from disaster

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 16, 2018

11:25 am

The BJP said the TDP’s decision to quit was inevitable after “its mischievous propaganda” against Centre. “People of AP have now realized that the TDP is resorting to lies to cover up its inept & inert governance. Far from being a threat, TDP’s exit is a timely opportunity for the BJP to grow in AP,” BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao tweeted.

11:21 am

In a statement, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) confirmed the move and said that TDP has decided to quit NDA, and the decision was unanimously taken by party politburo. Naidu alleged that the BJP and PM Modi are “trying to weaken regional parties”.

11:20 am

Chandrababu Naidu has pulled out his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the Centre’s refusal to announce special status to Andhra Pradesh. The snapping of ties doesn’t threaten the NDA government at the Centre, but signals a revamp of political ties ahead of General Elections next year. Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee — seen as a potential Third Front leader — has already praised her Andhra Pradesh counterpart over the move. It’s also a psychological advantage for BJP’s other estranged ally, the Shiv Sena. Action now shifts to Parliament where the TDP has submitted a no-confidence notice against the central government. The BJP has called TDP’s move an “inevitable” one, saying it offers a “timely opportunity for the BJP” to grow in Andhra Pradesh.