The word unity has different meanings. Political parties with differing ideologies need unity to grab the opportunity to rule. Now, one can see unity among the ruling alliance in Andhra Pradesh, which is necessary for them to survive. It’s a different matter whether it is real unity or is just the unity needed to further their political agenda. Everybody agrees that they have differences among themselves over how to deal with matters inside the alliance that consists of the TDP, the JSP and the BJP. Naturally, the TDP is playing the role of big brother in the alliance, and things are going on as per the TDP’s diktats, after due consultations with the JSP and the BJP.
The TDP is now having enormous strength in the AP Assembly as it has 135 MLAs, out of the NDA’s total strength of 164 seats. Jana Sena stands second with 21 MLAs, and the BJP has eight MLAs. The JSP has enough strength on its own to be the principal opposition party in the APLA. Why the JSP is called the key partner in the NDA combine has different shades of meaning. JSP President film star Pawan Kalyan took the crucial decision to have an alliance with the TDP before the Assembly polls. Exactly six months before the 2024 general elections, he decided that the then Chief Minister, the ruling YSR Congress Party’s (YSRCP) supremo, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was his political adversary. When the then leader of the opposition (LoP), TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu was arrested, he announced that the JSP would have an alliance with the TDP after a proper seat-sharing agreement. Even though the seat-sharing agreement didn’t allow him to contest 40 seats, Pawan adjusted himself to have a direct fight with the YSRCP.
This enabled Pawan to register a 100% strike rate by winning all the seats the JSP contested. As there were no cordial relations between Prime Minister Modi and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan made the alliance possible by stressing the need for a direct fight with the YSRCP.
After establishing its presence in AP, the NDA combine is trying to convey the clear message of unity on every possible occasion.
handrababu is saying that the NDA partners in AP are capable of keeping Jagan Mohan Reddy at bay again in the 2029 general elections. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi gave the message that the NDA partners will be together in future too.
While laying the foundation stone for resuming the construction of Amaravati, Modi gave a call to both Chandrababu and Pawan to stay united to complete the construction of Amaravati. Political observers say that the hidden message is that it’s nothing but a sweet warning to the YSRCP. Although the YSRCP is now technically not the principal opposition party in AP, it is present in every nook and corner of the state. That’s why it is considered a strong opponent of the NDA.
The YSRCP has been trying its best to regain ground after its humiliating defeat, which saw its strength plummet from 151 seats to just 11 seats. It had created a record in 2019 by winning 151 seats in the Assembly, which is 86% of the total strength of 175. Winning just 11 seats is also a record, as it lost the principal opposition party tag.
The YSRCP is now desperately looking for an opportunity to take on the NDA. Meanwhile, the NDA government in AP is struggling to fulfil its poll promises. The government is getting embarrassed when the public, as well as the opposition, reminds it of its ‘Super Six’ programme. The TDP was the main architect of the Super Six, but the government has no funds to implement it.
Although the YSRCP is looking for an appropriate time to take on the government for its failures in fulfilling its poll promises, it is not mobilising its cadres to expose the government. The stampede at Tirumala and the wall collapse at Simhachalam claimed many precious lives, but the YSRCP couldn’t act properly to expose the causes behind these two incidents, unlike its earlier attempts to get political mileage from the stampede that took place at the Rajahmundry Pushkar Ghat that killed 29 devotees during TDP rule.
Even though it doesn’t have the principal opposition tag, the YSRCP needs to function as a responsible opposition party due to its strong presence across the state. The YSRCP got 1.32 crore votes while the TDP got 1.53 crore votes. The JSP got 23 lakh votes in the 21 constituencies it contested.
Although the TDP has enough numbers to continue as the ruling party in AP, even if it cuts ties with its partners, it has no option but to keep sailing with the NDA. Chandrababu has a crucial role in the NDA, as the TDP has 16 LS MPs. The BJP leadership does not forget the fact that its government is dependent on the support of Chandrababu and Nitish Kumar.
Only a split in the anti-YSRCP vote bank can boost the YSRCP’s political fortunes. That’s why it is difficult for the YSRCP to regain its lost glory.
