TDP Ministers Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Y.S. Chowdary resign from Union Cabinet

Andhra Pradesh’s Telugu Desam Party pulled out its two Ministers from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Cabinet on Thursday over the issue of according Special Category Status to the State.

Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and technology Y.S. Chowdary submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thanked him for the “cooperation extended by him” during their tenure.

The decision came after the Prime Minister spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Earlier, Mr. Chowdary said he and Mr. Raju were stepping down as ministers due to “unavoidable circumstances” but the party would continue to be part of the NDA.

Likening the decision to an ”unfortunate divorce”, Mr. Chowdary said he and Mr. Raju would continue to work as parliamentarians for Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Naidu’s announcement on Wednesday night that his leaders would exit the Cabinet came a few hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Centre could not offer special status to Andhra Pradesh, but would offer a special package with equivalent funding.