VIJAYAWADA: Hours after Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan clarified that he never distanced himself from BJP, the saffron party’s Rajya Sabha member GVL Narasimha Rao said that it would be a welcome move if Pawan Kalyan proposes to merge his party with the national party. In the same breath, however, GVL slammed the actor-turned-politician for alleging that Hindu leaders and parties were responsible for the communal violence and intolerance in the country, and demanded that the remarks be taken back.
Speaking to mediapersons in New Delhi on Wednesday, GVL recalled that Pawan rejected the BJP’s proposal to merge the latter’s party prior to elections. “When we asked him to work with us and merge his party before the elections this year, he did not come forward. But, if he has a change of heart, which is reflected in his recent remarks, then we will certainly welcome the merger.
If my intervention is necessary in this regard, I will do it. As I had said in the past, if any regional party, which agrees with our ideology and wants to join us, we will accept it,” he said. He noted that even TDP, which criticised the BJP prior to elections, was now resorting to ‘sweet talk’, hinting that it was ready to work with the saffron party once again.
The Rajya Sabha member, however, was quick to add, “But, if anybody wants to work with us to gain politically, then they should not think that we will not realise it. This is not the time for alliances as elections are four-and-a-half years away.”
Reacting to Pawan Kalyan’s allegations on religious conversions, GVL said, “On Tuesday, the Jana Sena chief alleged that Hindu parties and leaders were responsible for communal violence. We condemn it and demand that the remarks be taken back. He should also refrain from making such accusations in the future.” GVL further continued, “BJP’s ideology, which is also in line with the Constitution, is against any religious conversions. If any State government, including Andhra Pradesh, goes against it, we will question them.”