Hyderabad: As Galla Jaydev, the ebullient Telugu Desam lawmaker, tore into the Modi government over the injustices he claimed were meted out to his state over the last four years, people from both the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were all eyes and ears during the debate on the no-trust motion in the Lok Sabha.

Not only politicians but even ordinary folks were glued to their television sets, especially in Andhra Pradesh, as the no-trust motion moved by the Telugu Desam Party, an erstwhile ally of the BJP, was taken up for discussion.

Opening the debate, Jaydev breathed fire as he took the Modi government to task for not fulfilling any of the promises made to Andhra Pradesh at the time of the bifurcation of the state.

Jaydev, a prominent industrialist and first-time MP who studied overseas, impressed everybody with his critique as he highlighted the suffering of the state and sense of being abandoned by the federal government despite not having its own capital and any other infrastructure.

Quoting the theme of a recent Telugu blockbuster movie on political theme ‘Bharat Ane Nenu’ (I Bharat), Jaydev reminded the prime minister, “a promise is a promise” and the NDA government failed to keep its promise.

It was a telling remark which carried TDP’s message to the film-crazy folks back home effectively as Jaydev reeled out statistics to question the claims of the BJP leaders that much had been done for the state.

In a stinging attack on the federal government’s priorities, Jaydev said, “For the statues of Patel and Shivaji, an amount of Rs6,500 crore [Rs65 billion] was given and you give only Rs1,500 crore [Rs15 billion] for the new capital of AP?”

“Andhra Pradesh was facing a fiscal deficit of Rs16,500 crore [Rs165 billion] but the centre gave only Rs3,900 crore [Rs39 billion]. We required Rs43,000 crore [Rs430 billion] for the construction of new capital and the centre gives us only Rs1,500 crore [Rs15 billion]”, he said.

Explaining the reasons for moving the no-trust motion against the Modi government, he said it was to expose the failure of the Centre to keep its promises to the people of Andhra Pradesh. “You say you have fulfilled the promises. Fulfilling 2 to 3 per cent of promises does not mean you have fulfilled all the promises”, he quipped.

Pointing out that the Centre had given only nominal help for the Polavaram project, he said, “that is why we are forced to bring the no-trust motion”.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu, who was keenly monitoring the proceedings in parliament from the state capital was all praise for the MP from Guntur for presenting the case of the state before the nation.

“@jaygalla comprehensively exposed injustice done to AP. On behalf of 5 crore [50 million] people of AP we demand PM to fulfil all the assurances given to AP by the then PM and implement the provisions of AP Reorganization Act 2014,” Naidu tweeted.

The massive traction TDP’s no-trust motion generated has forced even the other parties in the state to join the bandwagon. The main opposition YSR Congress party also announced its support to the motion. But the only hitch was that, with all its MPs having resigned, there was no one to vote in support of the motion on behalf of the party. “Though all our MPs have resigned, we will support the motion from outside,” said party general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Vijay Sai Reddy.

Pawan Kalyan, film star and founder of Jana Sena party also took the twitter to comment on the no-trust motion. He said it was not proper on part of the BJP to deny Special Category Status to AP just because it was angry with the TDP.

“BJP & TDP had wasted the great opportunity given to them by the people of AP. They could have truly stood by people instead of this political theatrics which causing great deal of public’s valuable time, money and agony (sic)”, he tweeted. But his attacks were more directed at the TDP than the BJP.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Telangana, the people were keenly watching what stand the ruling TRS in the state would finally take on the no-trust motion.

TRS MP B Vindo Kumar, while speaking in Lok Sabha, did not reveal his party’s cards while striking a balance between extending qualified support to the demands of AP while making a similar demands from Telangana. He said that Telangana had no objection if the Centre released funds for Polavaram project but it should also give national project status to Kaleswaram project of Telangana too. He also demanded that the 7 sub-district councils of Khammam district taken away from Telangana and given to AP at the time of bifurcation should be returned to Telangana as it had lost the Sileru Hydel power project. He said that people of Telangana will never forgive BJP for the transfer of several mandals to AP.