Following the conclusion of the elections in the neighboring Telangana state on Thursday evening, the political landscape is gradually intensifying in Andhra Pradesh. The primary contest is anticipated between the ruling YSRCP and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by Chief Chandrababu Naidu.
While Chandrababu was incarcerated in Rajahmundry central prison, Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan met the opposition leader in prison and subsequently announced the JSP’s alliance with the TDP. The latest buzz within political circles suggests that the seat-sharing arrangement between the TDP and JSP is nearing finalization. According to preliminary understandings, the Jana Sena Party is set to contest in 30 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats, leaving the TDP with 145 assembly seats and 23 Lok Sabha seats.
Initial discussions involved the TDP proposing to allocate 25 assembly seats to Jana Sena, one on average in each of the 25 Parliamentary constituencies. However, the Jana Sena Party sought at least two seats for each Lok Sabha constituency, amounting to around 50 assembly seats. After a series of negotiations, an agreement was reached for Jana Sena to contest in 30 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats.
Sources indicate that the leaders of TDP and Jana Sena, engaged in seat-sharing discussions for the past few days, have arrived at a preliminary understanding. The final decision is expected to be announced after a meeting between Naidu and Pawan Kalyan on Saturday or Sunday.
Nevertheless, the TDP-Jana Sena Party alliance is awaiting the final word from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before officially declaring the seat-sharing arrangement. The BJP is likely to reveal its stance after assessing the outcome of the Telangana assembly elections on Sunday.
In a bid to accommodate Pawan Kalyan’s popularity, the TDP has agreed to concede more seats to the Jana Sena Party in East and West Godavari districts, as well as in Visakhapatnam, parts of Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, and Kurnool. Regarding the Lok Sabha seats, the TDP may allocate Kakinada and Nellore or Kurnool seats to Jana Sena.
The looming question is whether Pawan Kalyan will choose to contest once again from Bhimavaram, where he suffered defeat in the 2019 elections, or opt for another constituency such as Tirupati or Srikakulam to play it safe.
Contrary to the circulating reports, a highly placed source from the TDP camp has dismissed the notion of seat sharing, asserting that discussions are centered on finalising the manifesto. The manifesto, approved by a six-member committee constituted by TDP-JSP, awaits the final decision of Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan. Seat-sharing discussions, sources maintain, will only take place once a clear BJP-JSP stance is established.
On a different note, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu, after seeking darshan of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy on Friday, briefed the media, stating that the party’s action plan would be unveiled soon. He mentioned that he prayed for strength to serve the people.
