c pradeep kumar
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to have firmly shut its doors to the possibility of an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP).
Over the past few days, BJP State leaders, led by State unit president D Purandeswari, have been engaged in discussions regarding fielding candidates across all 175 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) and 25 Lok Sabha (LS) segments for the 2024 elections.
The question remains whether a tri-party alliance will materialise. While the opposition alliance of TDP-JSP eagerly seeks BJP’s collaboration, the saffron party has repeatedly evaded commitment. Political analysts speculate that the likelihood of the BJP joining the TDP-JSP alliance is slim.
Expressing a preference to contest independently in Andhra Pradesh (AP), BJP State secretary Shiv Prakash chaired a meeting with state leaders to discuss alliances, with many leaders offering their opinions to the high command in writing.
In a significant move, the TDP-Jana Sena alliance unilaterally announced its first list of candidates, disregarding BJP’s pending decision. BJP State leaders opposing the alliance have forwarded their grievances to the national leadership. Concerns arise that premature candidate announcements could jeopardise support for candidates in their respective strongholds, prompting suggestions to contest all 175 constituencies.
Conversely, there is widespread speculation regarding BJP’s potential inclusion in the TDP-Jana Sena alliance. BJP leaders contemplate engaging with additional parties to expand the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the national level, fuelling speculation of forthcoming alliance announcements.
Senior BJP leaders such as former minister Adinarayana Reddy and former MLA Vishnukumar Raju advocate for alliances, citing increased chances of victory if the BJP were to join the TDP-Jana Sena coalition.
Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan has persistently advocated for an alliance with the BJP over the past two years, emphasising joint electoral campaigns. However, Jana Sena’s prior understanding with TDP for Assembly elections, excluding BJP from discussions, has sparked internal debates within BJP regarding Pawan’s proposals.
As a final recourse, TDP chief Nara Chandrababu is reportedly scheduled to visit Delhi on March 9 for discussions, with Jana Sena’s Pawan Kalyan also anticipated to engage with BJP leaders in Delhi for conclusive talks regarding alliance prospects.
