VIJAYAWADA: Seat-sharing between the Jana Sena party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Left parties was finalised on Sunday after several rounds of talks.
According to the seat-sharing pact, the BSP will be contesting from three Lok Sabha seats and 21 Assembly seats, while CPI and CPM will be contesting two MP and seven Assembly seats each. The Jana Sena will contest the remaining seats, that is 18 MP and 140 MLA seats.
Though Left parties had a poll pact with Jana Sena Party much before the BSP and sought to contest 13 MLA and 2 MP seats each, they finally could get only half the MLA seats they have expected. Only consoling point was that they were able to get the same number of MP seats they sought.
Speaking to media persons, JSP chief Pawan Kalyan said the BSP will be contesting Tirupati, Chittoor and Bapatla Parliamentary constituencies in the general election. However, he did not disclose the Assembly constituencies allotted to the BSP.
The CPM will be contesting Kurnool and Nellore Lok Sabha seats and CPI from Anantapur and Kadapa Lok Sabha seats. In case of Assembly seats, CPM will be contesting Kurupam (Vizianagaram district), Araku, Rampachodavaram, Undi, Vijayawada Central, Santhanuthalapadu, and Kurnool, while CPI will contest from Palakonda, S Kota, Visakhapatnam West, Nuzvid, Mangalagiri, Kanigiri and Dhone.
Pawan Kalyan said he was very impressed with love and care showed by BSP chief Mayawati when he met her in Lucknow two days ago and reiterated his desire to see her as the next Prime Minister of the country. He recalled that after formation of Telangana, it was announced by the TRS that a Dalit will be made the Chief Minister. “But it never happened. Now we can strive to make Mayawati, the next PM,” he stressed.
Speaking on the occasion, BSP Rajya Sabha member Veer Singh was all praise of Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. “Social change in Telugu states is the need of the hour and Pawan Kalyan, who is admirer and follower of Kanshiram, will be the linchpin in bringing that change,” he observed.
Veer Singh disclosed that Mayawati will address rallies at Amalapuram, Tirupati, and Hyderabad on April 3 and 4. JSP leaders Nadendla Manohar, Madasu Gangadhar and others were present.
CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna and CPM state secretary P Madhu said their alliance brings a third political alternative in the State and they strongly believe that change in the society and politics could be brought by their alliance.
On the other hand, other leaders continue to flock the Jana Sena Party. Paruchuri Bhaskar Rao, a close relative of minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, joined the party on Sunday.