The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is reportedly exploring a three-party alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for the upcoming 2024 elections, aiming to replicate the success of the 2014 coalition. The prospect of rekindling the triumphant 2014 alliance and reclaiming past glory in the 2024 elections has gained momentum within the BJP ranks. The leadership of the Andhra Pradesh BJP gathered for a two-day meeting in Vijayawada to deliberate on the alliance, with a majority of leaders expressing favourable opinions toward partnering with the TDP.
During the extensive discussions in Vijayawada, BJP state leaders, along with senior party figure Siva Prakash Ji, shared their perspectives on the potential alliance with the TDP for the 2024 elections. The meeting witnessed leaders submitting their opinions in writing, while others conveyed their views via WhatsApp, as advised by Siva Prakash Ji.
Notably, Jana Sena, an existing ally of the BJP, was also part of the deliberations. JSP Political Affairs Committee chairman Nadendla Manohar met with Siva Prakash Ji on the concluding day, describing it as a courtesy visit to extend New Year wishes. However, insider sources suggest that the meeting held political significance, focusing on discussions related to the alliance with the TDP and seat-sharing. This information is expected to be conveyed to the BJP’s high command in Delhi for a final decision on the alliance.
Several months ago, in September 2023, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan announced an alliance with the TDP, expressing his intent to persuade the BJP high command to join forces with the TDP. However, concrete efforts towards a tri-party alliance had not materialized. Meanwhile, the TDP had been actively pursuing an alliance with BJP-JSP for a favourable outcome in the 2024 elections.
In the backdrop of the 2014 elections, where the TDP BJP-JSP alliance emerged victorious, subsequent differences led to the dissolution of the partnership, resulting in a defeat for the three parties in the 2019 elections. The ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) has consistently accused the trio of parties of maintaining an informal alliance despite their claims of separation. The YSRCP alleges that Jana Sena, although officially aligned with the BJP, works in tandem with the TDP. The recent developments seem to validate these claims, exposing the alleged deception perpetuated by the three parties. BJP national secretary Y Satya Kumar, in a conversation with The Pioneer, clarified that the two-day meeting aimed to fortify the party’s grassroots presence in Andhra Pradesh and increase the vote share from 1% to 10%. He said that the decision on an alliance with the TDP rests with the party’s high command, and the State leaders have forwarded their opinions for consideration. Kumar accused the ruling YSRCP of resorting to candidate shuffling and premature candidate announcements due to the fear of losing. He hinted at an imminent announcement of the triparty alliance, expressing confidence in its success in the 2024 elections.
