BJP ministers to quit Andhra CM’s cabinet

Hyderabad, March 8 (IANS) Two BJP ministers are set to quit Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s cabinet on Thursday before state Finance Minister Y. Ramakrishnudu presents the 2018-19 budget in the Assembly, party officials said.

The ministers — Kamineni Srinivas (Medical and Health) and P. Manikyala Rao (Endowments) have stayed away from the cabinet meeting that began in Amaravati to formally approve the budget.

Srinivas said he and Rao would submit the resignations to Naidu and announce it in the Assembly after the question hour.

Thursday’s development comes after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday night announced its decision to pull out of the Narendra Modi government in protest against refusal of the Centre to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, saying the Centre has done injustice to the state.

Naidu announced to the media that the two TDP ministers — P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju (Civil Aviation) and Y.S. Chowdary (Minister of State for Science and Technology) — will tender their resignations on Thursday morning.