Athawale bats for TDP-BJP patch up

New Delhi [India], Mar 08 (ANI): Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to rethink about his decision of breaking up alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking to ANI, Athawale said that for the welfare of the people of the state the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) should not opt out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"It is not good that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has decided to breakaway from National Democratic Alliance (NDA). I want to appeal to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that he must think over this decision once again for development of people of the state and should stay with NDA," Athawale said.

Talking about granting 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh, Athawale said that it would become very difficult if every state starts making similar demands.

"Whenever you seek time from PM Modi and BJP President Amit Shah they meet. If all states demand special status it would become very difficult for the government," he said.

Earlier in the day, two BJP ministers in Andhra Pradesh Government submitted their resignation in the Chief Ministers office, amid the deteriorating relations between TDP and BJP.

The ministers, who have submitted their resignation, are State Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas and State endowment minister Pydikondala Manikyala Rao in N. Chandrababu Naidu's cabinet.

The BJP MLAs were given ministerial berths as a coalition partner.

This came hours after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked the TDP ministers to resign from the Union Cabinet. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI