Hyderabad, Mar 8 (DHNS): With the Union Finance Minister Arun Jailtley ruling out the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, TDP supremo and Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has directed two of his ministers to quit the Union Cabinet. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister for Science and Technology Sujana Chowdary will submit their resignations on Thursday morning.

However, the TDP will remain in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the time being pending a political decision by the party. The TDP also expects the two ministers in the AP cabinet belonging to the BJP to follow suit.

Even as Naidu refrained from making an announcement about quitting the NDA, during a vote of thanks motion in the Assembly on Wednesday, the press conference by Jaitley in New Delhi, saying mere sentiment cannot fetch funds, proved to be the last straw.

Naidu held a series of meetings with Cabinet ministers and with MPs in New Delhi.

Addressing the media late in the night at the AP interim secretariat, Naidu said Jaitley's press conference is ample proof that the Centre is decided about Andhra Pradesh's fate.

"Although I thought that it will be a courtesy to inform PM Narendra Modi, I could not contact him over phone, our officials informed our decision to the PMO," Naidu said.