Double-engine sarkar in AP?
TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu receiving Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan at his residence near Vijayawada on Wednesday
New Delhi : Andhra Pradesh would soon have a double-engine sarkar. This was the indication given by the leaders of national BJP to the state leaders during a meeting of the Central Election Committee chaired by Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday. (Hans had published an exclusive story on the TDP-BJP alliance on February 1).
The committee reviewed the political situation in the state with AP BJP leaders, led by state president D Purandeswari, and gave certain guidelines on how to take forward the issue.
It is learnt that BJP national president J P Nadda had called Naidu on Tuesday and told him that he might be invited to Delhi on Thursday for further talks on the alliance. Following the discussions held with party leaders on Wednesday, Nadda is said to have informed Naidu to come to Delhi on Thursday.
Naidu is going to Delhi on Thursday evening and would meet Amit Shah and Nadda to firm up the alliance. In a day or two, the BJP and TDP will officially announce the decision of the TDP joining the NDA and contesting the polls in alliance.
As prelude to this visit, Naidu on Wednesday had a two-hour-long meeting with Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and senior TDP leaders. It was felt that the BJP could be offered 10 Assembly seats and about six Lok Sabha seats. If need be, they can promise one Rajya Sabha seat from the state.
During the 2014 elections, the TDP gave 13 Assembly seats to the BJP but it won only 4 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats. Hence this time they want the BJP and Jana Sena together should be given 30-35 Assembly seats and 10 Lok Sabha seats.
Naidu would also explain to the BJP leadership that the BJP hardly has any vote percentage in the state and since there is anger among the people that the BJP had been supporting YS Jagan Mohan Reddy since 2019, the BJP national leadership should make an official statement that they would complete the Polavaram project, will help the state in constructing a better capital at Amaravati as was promised by the Prime Minister in 2014 and to put on hold the issue of privatization of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and hold talks with all stakeholders on how to revive the VSP. Otherwise, transfer of votes would not be possible.