VIJAYAWADA: In an apparent bid to strike an alliance with the BJP, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu called on Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in New Delhi late on Wednesday.
Naidu reportedly appraised the duo about the prevailing political situation in the State. Further, he reportedly brought to Shah’s notice the irregularities in the voters list and sought the Centre’s intervention. It has been learnt that the leaders also held talks on the possibility of TDP joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The TDP chief is likely to return to Vijayawada on Thursday and closet with JSP president Pawan Kalyan and appraise him about the talks with the BJP leaders.
According to sources in the BJP, if the party decides to join the TDP-JSP combine, the high command might seek a significant share of Lok Sabha seats, besides 10 Assembly seats.
Sources in the yellow party also believe that the BJP might make such a demand. In that case, the TDP might have to leave 10 of the 25 LS seats in the State for its allies. If the saffron party joins the alliance, the TDP might have to allocate not less than 30 Assembly seats to its partners.
While Pawan Kalyan’s JSP would get around 20 seats, the BJP is likely to contest 10 seats on the higher side.
BJP sources said the party wants to be a guiding force of the alliance rather than playing second fiddle like it did after the 2014 elections. They added the party is likely to ask for Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Rajamahendravaram and Narasapuram MP seats, as it has won from these constituencies previously. Additionally, it might seek three more segments — Araku, Ongole and Rajampet.
BJP State president D Purandeswari had earlier unsuccessfully contested from Rajampet.
Besides six Assembly segments, the party also reportedly wants Vizag North, Rajamahendravaram city, Kaikalur and Tadepalligudem — the seats it won from in 2014.
BJP chief: High command is seized of matter
While Purandeswari has reiterated that the high command is seized of the matter, party national secretary Y Satya Kumar said there will be clarity on the alliance in the next three to four days. “The party State unit is of the view that the anti-people government in the State should be ousted,” he said.
A senior leader told TNIE, “We could not strengthen ourselves at the ground-level after 2014. By joining the then TDP government, we also had to take the blame for all its wrongdoings.”
Meanwhile, it has been learnt that Narasaraopeta MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, who had recently quit from the YSRC and from his post, met Naidu. He is likely to officially join the TDP.
BJP describes budget as an empty pot
Vijayawada: State BJP official spokesperson Lanka Dinakar described the interim budget tabled by Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath as an empty pot. The budget outlay in 2019-20 was Rs 1.8 lakh crore and it increased to Rs 2.86 lakh crore in 2024-25. During the period, the public debt has risen to Rs 12 lakh crore and it is a ‘shame’, he said