BIG: Months after voting for CAA in Parliament, Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP makes a U-turn

In a significant development, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday opposed Citizenship Amendment Act, National Population Register and National Register of Citizens. He extended his support to Muslim community on this front. This marks a complete departure from TDP’s earlier stance on CAA as it h voted in favour of legislation in both Houses of Parliament.

Naidu’s remarks came at start of ‘Praja Chaitanya Yatra’ to create awareness about alleged misdeeds of Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Presh.  

Former AP CM Chandrababu Naidu remarked,  "Wher it is CAA, NPR or NRC, we will stand with Muslims."

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Naidu's changing stance on CAA

Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP pulled out of National Democratic Alliance in May 2018. When Citizenship Amendment Bill was initially tabled in Lok Sabha in January 2019, he opined that it was "against interest of indigenous people of Assam and North East”. Moreover, he accused Centre of playing “communal politics”.  

At that juncture, he declared that his MPs would vote against aforesaid legislation in Rajya Sabha. However, TDP suffered a big defeat in state assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections. YSR Congress Party not only secured a whopping 22 Lok Sabha seats but also won a huge majority in Andhra Presh Assembly.

On or hand, BJP won 303 seats in Lok Sabha polls. Over years, YSRCP and BJP have reportedly strengned ir ties. refore, TDP’s move to support CAA was perceived as a tactic to mend fences with its former ally BJP.  

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What is CAA? 

CAA seeks to provide citizenship to minority communities namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Banglesh and Pakistan. This will be applicable to members of se communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. Moreover, y will not be considered as illegal migrants. ditionally, mandatory residence period for naturalised citizenship for se communities has been reduced to five years. opposition contends that Act discriminates on basis of religion. 

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