President Kovind accepts resignation of TDP ministers, PM Modi to look after Civil Aviation department

The official Twitter handle of the President of India said, "#PresidentKovind, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati and Shri Y.S. Chowdary from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect."

Also tweeted Chowdary on Friday, "Respecting sentiments of our Andhra Pradesh people, we have resigned -  Shri @Ashok_Gajapathi garu and I - from Union Cabinet and our resignations have been accepted by His Excellency President of India."

Further, as advised by PM Modi, President Kovind has directed that the work of Ministry of Civil Aviation, the department headed by Ashok Gajapathi, will be looked after by the PM, reports said.

The Telegu Desam Party (TDP) has walked out of the NDA ministries over the demands of a special status to the southeastern state but stayed in the alliance for now.

TDP ministers  Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Y.S. Chowdary resigned on Thursday following the orders of their party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

While Raju held the civil aviation ministry, Chowdary was the Minister of State in for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in the BJP-led central government.

Following Naidu's statement of pulling out of the NDA,  two BJP ministers in the Chandrababu Naidu cabinet in Andhra Pradesh also resigned on Thursday.

Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas and Endowments Minister P Manikyala Rao put in their papers after meeting the Chief Minister., reports said.