BJP has formed an electoral alliance with Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena and Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh.
In a significant move towards reuniting with a former ally, the BJP has struck an electoral pact with Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena and Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh. The agreement was reached after extensive negotiations between the parties ahead of the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections and the Lok Sabha elections. As reported by India Today, the agreement was finalized at midnight on Friday. Under the agreement, the BJP and Jana Sena are expected to contest for nearly eight out of the 24 Lok Sabha seats available.
Sources familiar with the matter told the publication that both parties are anticipated to contest for around 28 to 32 seats in the Andhra Pradesh assembly, with the remaining seats likely going to the TDP.
It is reported that the BJP has requested the Lok Sabha seats of Araku, Hindupur, Tirupati, Rajampet, Rajahmundry, Narasapuram, and Visakhapatnam. Initially, the TDP gave the BJP four seats in the first meeting, including Tirupati, Araku, Rajahmundry, and Rajampet.
“Primarily, we have agreed to contest together in the upcoming elections. TDP will be part of the NDA. Seat sharing and other details are currently being worked out. A meeting between our leader Chandrababu Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah has already taken place. Any remaining issues will be resolved in a second meeting on Friday evening,” stated TDP MP K Ravindra Kumar to ET.
Reportedly, the TDP has received an invitation from the BJP to rejoin the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The TDP is expected to attend an NDA meeting soon after cutting ties with the alliance in 2018.
Both the TDP and Jana Sena have declared their plan to share seats in advance. Out of the 175 Assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats, the TDP has allocated 24 for the Jana Sena. While Jana Sena has announced the names of five candidates, the TDP has also released its initial list of 94 candidates.
Last year in September, the BJP-led Jana Sena announced an alliance with the TDP.