Hyderabad, Mar 13 (IANS): The main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh has refused to support the no-confidence motion proposed to be moved by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the state assembly during the budget session.
The budget session of the state assembly began here Wednesday.
The TRS alleged that the TDP decision proved beyond doubt that it is hand in glove with the Congress party, which holds power in the state.
TDP legislator Harish Rao told reporters Wednesday that "this exposed the true face" of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu.
"Naidu is telling the people every day that this government has no right to continue in power even for a minute, but the fact is that he is trying to save the Congress government. There is match-fixing between the two," Harish Rao said.
The TRS leader, however, said his party would support the no-confidence motion if it was brought by the TDP.
TDP leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu defended the party decision not to back TRS's motion. "We will not fall in the trap of TRS or YSR Congress party. We know when to move a no-confidence motion," he said.
After the TDP ignored YSR Congress's bait to move the no-confidence motion, the TRS wrested the initiative by deciding to move the motion.
TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao claimed that Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Lok Satta have already committed their support to the no-confidence motion.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said he was not scared of a no-trust motion and pointed out that the one moved by the opposition in December 2011 was defeated.
In the 295-member assembly, Congress has 147 members, one less than simple majority. TDP has 85 members, TRS 18 (including an independent) and YSR Congress 17.
The Congress, at the time the no-confidence motion was defeated in 2011, had 156 members, but nine of them were last month suspended by the party for switching loyalties to the YSR Congress.
MIM, which had backed the government during last no-confidence motion and withdrew support a few months ago, has seven legislators.
The number of seats held by other parties are CPI (4), BJP (3), CPI-M (1), and Lok Satta (1).