NEW DELHI: TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu has called Friday’s no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government in Lok Sabha a “historic opportunity” and asked his party MPs to treat it as a “prestige issue,” since it is because of people of Andhra Pradesh and TDP’s efforts that the PM will be facing his first no-confidence in Parliament, even as he heads a majority government.

“This is a historic opportunity, an inspirational occasion. You should echo the voice of five crore people of Andhra Pradesh in Lok Sabha as this is a prestige issue,” he told his MPs during a teleconference.

Naidu held two teleconferences on Thursday with his MPs from Amravati, advising them on how to conduct themselves in the House, among themselves and with members of other parties.

As part of the opposition benches now, Naidu, a seasoned politician, is not counting on winning the trust vote on the floor of the House in terms of numbers, but is banking on “exposing the Modi government and its betrayal to the people of state” as three TDP MPs -- Jayadev Galla, Ram Mohan Naidu and Kesineni Srinivas – speak in the House.

TDP knows the motion is likely to defeated on the floor of the House, but the party is keen to drive home the point that “it forced PM Modi to face his first no-confidence,” said a party source.

According to TDP sources, the party will put on record the “injustice” meted out to Andhra Pradesh even as it was an ally of BJP, as the state also prepares for assembly elections alongside the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and Naidu seeks a re-election.

TDP also stole a march over its main rival in the state YSRCP, since its members have resigned in protest against the Modi government and hence will not be able to take up the cause of the state in Parliament.

