VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy arrived in New Delhi on Thursday and is set to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
The meeting has gained significance as it comes just a day after TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda, and reportedly held talks on joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
According to sources, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) confirmed Jagan’s appointment on Wednesday night.
With PM Modi asserting that the NDA will win 400 seats in the general elections, the BJP has been trying to hold talks with political parties that have either been its allies in the past or have extended issue-based support to it.
The TDP, which was a part of the NDA in 2014, had exited the alliance before the 2019 polls. On the other hand, the ruling YSRC, on several occasions, has extended support to the NDA at the Centre during the passage of crucial Bills in the Rajya Sabha.
While the YSRC was previously invited to join the BJP-led alliance, Jagan had declined the offer. Considering the party’s vote share in the State, the YSRC president is likely to maintain his stance.
According to sources, Jagan believes that if the yellow party joins the NDA, the support of minority communities may be consolidated in his favour.
However, the YSRC has made it clear that Jagan’s meeting with the Prime Minister has no political significance.
According to party leaders, the Chief Minister will once again raise the issue of Special Category Status to the State, disinvestment of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, release of funds for Polavaram irrigation project and fulfilling of other assurances made to the State under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
Naidu begging BJP to form an alliance: Sajjala
Asserting that Jagan was meeting PM Modi to get the pending bills cleared, YSRC general secretary and government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said, “The TDP is fighting for its survival and is after the BJP to forge an alliance, but we do ot have such a necessity.”
Describing Naidu as an opportunist politician, Sajjala criticised the TDP chief for trying to stitch up an alliance with the BJP to gain political benefits. Stating that the yellow party was currently on a ventilator in the State, he said, “The TDP chief begging BJP to form an alliance is a proof that it is weak and has no confidence to win the elections alone.”