Thursday, May 5 2005 11:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Overcoming its dilemma, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today (May 5, 2005) broke ranks with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and decided to participate in the proceedings of Parliament ending the six-day boycott.

A decision to attend Parliament was taken at a meeting of TDP Parliamentary Party, leader K Yerran Naidu told reporters.

However, he said, the party would express its protest in both Houses on the "callous" attitude of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government towards the Opposition.

"The Government has to give priority to the Opposition in a democracy," the TDP leader said adding some of the Congress leaders were making provocative statements on the boycott issue rather than resolving the deadlock.

This is the first major occasion when TDP has had a disagreement with BJP in its more than seven years of association after its differences over the post-Godhra riots.

TDP had earlier extended outside support to the Vajpayee-led Government.

Asked why the party has decided to end the NDA's boycott, Naidu said TDP was extending only issue-based support to NDA.

While the attitude of the Government was condemnable as there was no effort made by the Government to end the deadlock, continued boycott would not send a "good signal", he said.

TDP Parliamentary Party leader K Yerran Naidu told reporters about the decision after a meeting of party MPs in New Delhi.