In this file photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seen with TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu in New Delhi.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: After two days of marathon discussions, finally BJP, TDP and Jana Sena sealed the alliance deal on Saturday. The three parties on Saturday issued a joint statement announcing the alliance. Though the statement said the modalities of seat sharing will be deliberated within a day or two, highly placed sources in BJP and TDP said that the deadlock over the seat sharing, especially Lok Sabha seats, had been diffused during the second round of talks with top BJP leader and Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, TDP chief, N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena supremo Pawan Kalyan, in Delhi on Saturday.
As per highly placed sources in TDP, it is agreed upon that BJP would contest in six Lok Sabha and also six assembly segments. While TDP initially offered Jana Sena three Lok Sabha seats, now, Pawan Kalyan's party will contest in only two. His party will also contest in 24 assembly seats.
Elections for 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats are simultaneously held in Andhra Pradesh.
All put together, the BJP-Jana Sena combine got 30 assembly and eight Lok Sabha seats. While Jana Sena got a big chunk of assembly seats to contest, BJP got Lok Sabha seats. Even before Pawan Kalyan announced an electoral pact with TDP in September last year, his party Jana Sena has been an ally of BJP in Andhra Pradesh since sometime.
As part of its Mission 370, BJP sought more Lok Sabha seats which TDP was not willing to concede. While BJP sought 10 Lok Sabha seats, the number has been finalised at six.
The source also added that upon the suggestion of BJP it was decided that Pawan Kalyan would contest for Lok Sabha from Kakinada instead of state assembly. It is learnt he was assured a cabinet berth at Centre that would ease the knot around power sharing in Andhra Pradesh.
“Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP, the TDP and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) as being committed for the progress of country and the upliftment of state and people of Andhra Pradesh, have decided to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections together in Andhra Pradesh,” said the joint statement on Saturday.
The statement further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working tirelessly for the development and progress of the nation for the last 10 years and coming together with TDP and JSP will help in reaching the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh.
“The BJP and TDP have a very old relationship together. TDP joined NDA in 1996 and has worked together successfully in Atal Ji's and Narendra Modi Ji' government. In 2014, the TDP and the BJP fought the Lok Sabha election and assembly election together. The JSP had supported the 2014 general and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh. The modalities of seat sharing will be deliberated within a day or two. We hope that the alliance will come up to the expectation of people of Andhra Pradesh with their wholehearted support of people at large,” said the statement.
While a broad consensus has been reached on the number of Lok Sabha seats that BJP would contest, the saffron party's state leadership will hold talks with TDP and Jana Sena about assembly seats. Sources in BJP pointed out that party state unit chief, Daggubati Purandheswari, former chief minister, N Kiran Kumar Reddy, former union minister, YS Chowdhary, former Rajya Sabha member, CM Ramesh would get BJP nominations to contest from the six allotted to it in the alliance. BJP candidates are likely to contest from Eluru, Araku, Anakapalle, Rajahmundry, Rajampet, Tirupati or Hindupur Lok Sabha segments. Jana Sena would contest from Kakinada and Machilipatnam Lok Sabha seats.
Naidu after the meeting with Shah and Nadda on Saturday, briefed his party leaders over teleconference about the outcome of his Delhi tour and talks with BJP top brass. Confirming the alliance Naidu told partymen, “Its a win and win situation. Other nitty gritty will be finalised in another meeting. Alliance with BJP is only in the interest of Andhra Pradesh as Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had destroyed the state in the last five years. A public meeting is being planned either on March 17 or 18 around Chilakaluripeta in which prime minister Narendra Modi will take part. He may also make some key announcements for Andhra Pradesh in the meeting.”
Naidu along with Pawan Kalyan have been camping in Delhi since the last two days. On Saturday evening both the leaders left Delhi. Late on Thursday night, they held talks with Amit Shah and BJP national president, J P Nadda.
Due to other commitments of Shah, another round of talks could not be held on Friday. On Saturday morning, the second round of talks were held. It will be after six years that TDP will be returning to the NDA fold. Months before 2019 polls, TDP walked out of NDA in 2018 alleging Centre not doing enough for Andhra Pradesh.
Both TDP and Jana Sena had already announced candidates for 99 assembly seats.