TDP eyes speaker post, 6 ministerial berths and Andhra special status in NDA negotiations
Telugu Desam Party, the biggest constituent of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) after BJP, has drafted a list of demands that includes the post of Speaker, six berths in the Council of Ministers and special status for Andhra Pradesh.
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According to sources, TDP has decided to stake claim to the post of Speaker, which is traditionally held by the ruling party at the Centre. Although this demand was not raised in the NDA meeting on Wednesday but has been conveyed verbally by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu.
TDP sources said t this has been done because Naidu is aware of the importance of the Speaker's post, especially when the government is facing a tight no-confidence motion on the floor of the House. In 1998 when Naidu had offered his support to Atal Bihari Vajpayee's NDA government, he had not sought any Cabinet berth but had staked claim to the Speaker's post. GMC Balayogi was Naidu's nominee then for the post. How crucial the Speaker's role is for TDP can be gauged from the fact that in April 1999 when Vajpayee's government lost the crucial confidence motion by a single vote, it was Balayogi who had advised Giridhar Gamang to vote «as per his conscience». The act of allowing Gamang to vote had cost Vajpayee his government.
TDP is also likely to stake claim to six berths in the Council of Ministers.
