BENGALURU: The meeting between Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on the tarmac of Bengaluru’s HAL Airport on Thursday created ripples in political circles in the wake of the 2024 Assembly elections in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
The duo met as Naidu landed at the airport to head to his home constituency, Kuppam, while Shivakumar was on the way to Nagpur to attend the Congress Formation Day celebrations. The video of the duo exchanging pleasantries shared by Shivakumar on social media has since gone viral.
Shivakumar, who took up the mission of ensuring Congress’ victory in the recent Telangana polls, is likely to be given the task of winning some seats for the Congress in Andhra Pradesh, said an informed source. “Since the Congress has no MLA in Andhra Pradesh, the party may either ally with the TDP or go to poll with an understanding with like-minded parties,” said the source, adding that the TDP’s decision not to fight the recent Telangana polls helped the Congress win the state.
Shivakumar was also instrumental in YSR Telangana Party — led by the daughter of former Andhra Pradesh CM YS Rajashekar Reddy, YS Sharmila — from not contesting the polls. Similarly, he may chalk out a strategy to unite the Opposition against the ruling YSR Congress Party led by CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Sharmila was reportedly ready to merge her party with the Congress ahead of the polls in Telangana. “Since Sharmila has differences with her brother Jagan Mohan Reddy, she is likely to join the platform against him if promised a key role,” observed a political analyst.