VIJAYAWADA: Even as elections to the State’s Assembly are two years away, indications of possible alliances have become the talk of the town. A day after Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan hinted at a possible alliance with the TDP to avoid splitting anti-YSRC votes, State BJP chief Somu Veerraju on Monday voiced his party’s opposition to the idea. “We will contest the 2024 elections with the good governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as our poll plank. We want an alliance with ‘Janalu’ (people) and Jana Sena,’’ he said.
When reporters asked him about Kalyan’s comments, Veerraju retorted: “If he had made such a remark, you go and ask him. Why are you bothering me?’’The actor-politician made the remarks in Nandyal during JSP’s Koulu Rythu Bharosa Yatra. Stressing on the need for ensuring anti-YSRC votes are not split, he had said that “If anti-YSRC votes get divided, the party will come back to power. As a result, Andhra Pradesh will be pushed into darkness.”
A section of BJP makes strong pitch for 3-party alliance to challenge YSRC
Assuring the people that he will never form any alliances for his personal gains, Kalyan asserted that if he fails to solve the people’s problems, he will quit the alliance. Kalyan’s remarks as well as Veerraju’s opposition to it have assumed significance as a section of the BJP has been making a strong pitch for an alliance with the TDP along with JSP to put up a strong challenge to the YSRC. Another faction, however, is not inclined to sail along with the TDP.
Sources noted that those who supporting the three-party alliance believed that the move would be significant for the BJP in the neighbouring state of Telangana, where there is a significant vote bank of Andhra settlers.
The 2019 experiment
Both the BJP and TDP had contested alone in the 2019 elections while the JSP joined hands with the Left parties and BSP, but could win only one Assembly seat. The JSP secured a vote share of just two per cent. It may be noted that JSP formed an alliance with the BJP soon after the 2019 assembly elections.
What difference will the JSP make in terms of vote share in a possible pact with TDP and BJP remains to be seen. On the other hand, the central BJP leadership is non-committal on the issue as the two regional parties — TDP and YSRC — are friendly towards it.
The 2019 experiment
Both the BJP and TDP had contested alone in the 2019 elections while the JSP joined hands with the Left parties and BSP, but could win only one Assembly seat. The JSP secured a vote share of just two per cent. It may be noted that JSP formed an alliance with the BJP soon after the 2019 assembly elections.
What difference will the JSP make in terms of vote share in a possible alliance with TDP and BJP remains to be seen. On the other hand, the central BJP leadership is non-committal on the issue as the two regional parties -- TDP and YSRC -- are friendly towards it. It is also expecting support from both the parties in the upcoming presidential election.