TDP, JSP alliance: BJP’s decision will be crucial in 2024 elections

Though there were enough hints, the official announcement of an alliance with Telugu Desam Party by Jana Sena Party - a member of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has set off speculation on whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will side with them or not in the crucial 2024 elections.

Notwithstanding JSP president and actor Pawan Kalyan’s hope that the BJP will join them to oust, what he termed the ‘corrupt and dictatorial’ YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh after he met TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu at central prison at Rajamahendravaram on Thursday, the BJP top leadership has maintained stoic silence over the development.

However, the second-rung leaders of the saffron brigade have not criticised the announcement made by Pawan Kalyan and left the choice of siding with TDP-JSP to their top leadership. It is said that the final decision will be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah keeping in view the advantages of such realignment of forces for the BJP in 2024 as well as 2029 elections.

The development has come as a big boost for TDP at a time when the 2024 elections are often dubbed as a ‘do or die’ battle for former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu after TDP’s humiliating defeat in the 2019 elections. In the last polls, YSRCP won a brute majority with 151 seats in the Assembly. Several MLAs including Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar from Visakhapatnam also defected to YSRCP after the elections. Though JSP unlike 2014 when it supported the TDP-BJP alliance from outside, fielded candidates after tying up with Left parties and Bahujan Samaj Party, it could win only in one Assembly seat. This time it is speculated that Pawan Kalyan factor will play a key role in deciding the fate of YSRCP and TDP in the elections. While YSRCP was ahead of all others in 2019 by securing nearly 50 per cent vote share, the TDP which was in power since 2014 got 39.17 per cent. JSP could win one seat, but managed to get 6 per cent of total vote share. Pawan Kalyan is a crowd-puller and with the help of TDP’s organisational power, the combine with the hope of BJP joining the alliance is confident of wresting power from YSRCP, JSP political affairs committee member Kona Tata Rao told Bizz Buzz.

The YSRCP immediately after the declaration of alliance, criticised Pawan Kalyan for ditching his supporters. It also took strong exception to the decision on electoral fight in front of a jail after a mulquat with Chandrababu Naidu along with Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna and TDP general secretary N Lokesh. After the development, Pawan Kalyan called on Bhubaneswari, wife of Naidu and Lokesh announced the formation of a coordination committee to decide election strategy. TDP MPs have decided to raise Naidu’s arrest issue in Parliament, which is scheduled to have a session from September 18. Lokesh is camping in Delhi to apprise the Central leaders about the developments in Andhra Pradesh.