Can Naidu-Pawan Bonhomie, Local Leaders' Proposal See TDP-Janasena Tie-up Ahead of Local Body Polls?

Hyderabad: At a meeting, headed by actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, a Janasena party leader suggested the party should ally with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for the upcoming local body election in Andhra Pradesh.

At the general body meeting of the party held in Amaravati on Saturday, most of the leaders were of the opinion that they lost the Assembly and parliament elections held last year for entering the poll fray on their own and not allying with any party. This, they felt, led to division of votes and gave a mileage to the YSR Congress Party that eventually came to power.

Some of them said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite its dominance at the national level, is not as strong in the Telugu state and the alternative is TDP, led by N Chandrababu Naidu.

“If we contest individually, we will repeat the results seen in the general elections. We must tie up with a strong party. We cannot go with the YSRCP. So the only alternative is the TDP,” a party leader, who lost the Lok Sabha polls, is said to have told gathering.

According to sources, Kalyan remained silent when the proposal was made, but later said the issue would be discussed.

With both the TDP and Janasena sharing the same stand on the capital issue that has led to protests in several parts of the state, the recent bonhomie between the two partie has also not gone unnoticed

Both Naidu and Kalyan have been opposing Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s move to develop three places, including Amaravati, Vishakhaptnam and Kurnool, as part of his three-capital formula.

The proposal, being discussed at present by a high-powered committee of ministers and officials, is to shift the administrative complex to Vishakhapatnam from Amaravati.

Soon after the bifurcation of the state, Naidu had promised to develop Amaravati as a world-class capital, following which large swathes of land were acquired from farmers.

Recently, Naidu was all praises for Kalyan who has been upped the ante against the government over its latest move. “Kalyan is doing a good job. The government is not allowing him to protest. He grew with the help of sheer hard work. YSRCP leaders are now criticising him at the personal level,” the former chief minister said during a ‘Save Amaravati’ protest.

Soon after, the Janasena chief condemned the detention of Naidu during a bus rally against the government decision.

Analysts are of the opinion that an alliance would do well for both the parties against a very strong ruling camp.

“The TDP and Janasena know what they have lost. The alliance should not remain confined to local body elections, but continue until the next general elections,” senior journalist Subrahmanyam told News18.

In the last simultaneous elections that brought Reddy to power, the TDP won 23 Assembly seats and three parliamentary seats. The Janasena could win only one Assembly constituency and drew a blank for the LS polls

In 2014, Kalyan’s party did not take part directly in the elections, but extended support to the BJP-TDP alliance in the state.

After coming to power in 2014, the TDP usually responded positively to social issues raised by Kalyan. Hence, it only makes sense for the two parties to join hands and fight against the YSRCP, the analysts said.