Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

The admission of the TDP's notice to move a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led NDA, reinforces the princple that the political scenario is in a state of constant flux. It may be recalled that in the previous session of Parliament, both the YSRCP and TDP had given similar notices, but were not admitted then. This time around the TDP notice was admitted on the very first day and is being backed by the Congress and other parties who have submitted their notices on their own.

The question which now arises is whether the TDP and BJP have a secret pact. However, if one were to gloss over this aspect, the most important fact to be highlighted is that the notice is coming up for discussion after the YSRCP MPs gave up their posts for the sake of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

The TDP presumably had not anticipated the BJP's readiness to admit the no-trust vote and thought that it could enact its usual drama. It appears as if the TDP is now gripped by fear following the alacrity with which the BJP admitted the motion. One does not see the fire and brimstone that the TDP leaders demonstrated earlier.

If Chandrababu Naidu had any inkling of the BJP government's imminent collapse, he would have rushed to Delhi himself to pull it down. Instead the fact that he is sending ministers like Yanamala accompanied by some officials to brief his Lok Sabha MPs indicate that he is not confident about the success of the no-trust vote. Chandrababu Naidu is on the horns of a dilemma. His is a classic case of mixed felings currently.

The political buzz is that he is apprehensive about the likely damage BJP MPs or PM Modi could do in their statements by exposing him. Moreover, he is unable to proclaim that he stands along with Sonia Gandhi and others against the BJP.

To counter the allegations that the TDP has a secret pact with BJP on the one hand and that it is hand in glove with Congress and Sonia Gandhi on the other, is proving to be a herculean task for TDP leaders.

Both Congress and TDP are tying themselves up in knots claiming that they have served separate no-trust notices.

Meanwhile, it is being said that TDP MP from Anantapur, JC Diwakar Reddy is blackmailing Chandrababu Naidu and has even announced that he would not attend the Lok Sabha despite a whip being issued. By saying that it is not the TDP's intention to bring down the Modi government, Sujana Chowdary has revealed his party's true intentions.

Sonia Gandhi, however, insists that the Congress party is determined to pull down the BJP-led NDA government. Meanwhile, media outlets friendly to the TDP have already started a publicity campaign saying that the TDP is waging a war against the Centre. At the same time, it appears as if the TDP leadership is edgy about the possible damage that the BJP could inflict during the course of the debate on the no-trust vote.

The course of AP's politics will hinge upon the extent to which the TDP is exposed in this discussion tomorrow.

Also Read: Secret Pact Between Congress, TDP Is Out