The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Andhra Pradesh): The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the second-largest constituent in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is poised to join the union cabinet, according to a party spokesperson. With 16 MPs, the TDP has emerged as a crucial player in the formation of the central government.
On Thursday, party spokesperson Jyotshna Tirunagari announced, “Chandrababu Naidu’s swearing-in ceremony is tentatively scheduled for June 12. We are a part of the NDA and will obviously be joining the Central government.”
Tirunagari emphasized that this is not the first time the TDP has been in government with the NDA at the center, recalling their participation during Vajpayee’s government and again in 2014. “Now, in 2024, we are here,” she added, highlighting the TDP’s pivotal role in the NDA.
Historically, the TDP has held significant positions in the central government. Late TDP leader GMC Balayogi served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, although his term was cut short by a tragic helicopter crash in Andhra Pradesh in 2002.
Former TDP MP K Ravindra Nath mentioned that Naidu has directed all party MPs to attend the NDA’s meeting in New Delhi on Friday. Naidu himself is expected to leave for the national capital tonight. When asked about the TDP joining the central government, Nath indicated that no final decisions have been made public yet.
The TDP secured 16 MP seats in Andhra Pradesh, contributing to the NDA alliance’s impressive tally of 21 out of 25 seats in the state. Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao confirmed ongoing discussions among NDA partners but noted that no official details regarding cabinet positions have been released.
During the NDA regime in 2014, the TDP was allocated one cabinet minister post and a minister of state. P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Y S Chowdary (now with BJP) represented the TDP in the cabinet from June 2014 to 2018.