Amidst the evolving political landscape in Andhra Pradesh, State’s BJP chief, Purandeswari Daggubati, reiterated that the party remains in alliance with the Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party (JSP). This statement comes amidst reports that Pawan Kalyan has also entered into a pre-poll pact with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by Chandrababu Naidu.
Purandeswari clarified her stance during her visit to Jangareddygudem in the Eluru district on Saturday.
Addressing reporters after district-level party workers meeting at Dandamudi village, she said that the BJP’s central leadership would make the final decision regarding the party’s alliance partners in the State.
Expressing her interest in contesting the upcoming assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh with Jana Sena, Purandeswari’s position contrasts with that of the Telangana BJP, which appears to have distanced itself from Pawan Kalyan’s party. In the Telangana Assembly elections, the saffron party had previously allied with Jana Sena, allocating eight seats for the party. However, the BJP faced a significant defeat in the polls. In response, Telangana BJP chief Kishan Reddy hinted at the party’s intention to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections independently, distancing itself from Jana Sena.
Despite the signals from Telangana, Purandeswari seems to be banking on the charisma of the ‘power star’ to influence voters in the upcoming AP assembly elections. However, there appears to be a disconnect as she may not have fully considered Jana Sena’s performance in the recent polls in the neighbouring state.
Taking a dig at Pawan Kalyan’s party, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy recently referred to the poor performance of Jana Sena candidates in Telangana. Noting that ‘Barrelakka’ Sirisha, an independent candidate from Kollapur, received more votes than Jana Sena candidates in her constituency, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy highlighted the challenges faced by Pawan Kalyan’s party.
