With the general elections fast-approaching, the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Andhra Pradesh are hoping that the two-day meeting of the National Council scheduled to be organised in New Delhi from February 17 (Saturday) will shed light on the party’s stance on alliances.
“The National Council does not discuss about alliances in detail. The BJP Parliamentary Board takes a call on such issues. However, the leadership may drop hints on alliances on the sidelines of the National Council meeting, which primarily discusses the ways of taking the development initiatives of the NDA government to the masses effectively,” says a senior leader on condition of anonymity.
The State BJP leaders are eager to know about the way forward, particularly in the wake of their ally, the Jana Sena Party (JSP), deciding to sail with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and wanting the saffron party to join the bandwagon for the common cause of defeating the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) at the hustings.
Divided opinion
The BJP State unit is divided over taking onboard the TDP. A few hardliners opine that the truck with the TDP is of little help as it will hamper the prospects of the party growing on its own in the State. Citing the TDP’s decision to part ways with the NDA ahead of the 2019 elections and its vitriolic attack on the BJP, they argue that the party needs to increase its share of votes and seats on its own strength.
There are a few others who aver that the alliance with the TDP-JSP combine will help the BJP secure at least a couple of seats like in 2014. The BJP then had won four Assembly seats — Kaikaluru, Tadepalligudem, Visakhapatnam North, and Rajahmundry City. It, however, drew a blank in 2019.
Sources in the party say that the leadership will be holding another round of discussion with TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan soon.
While Mr. Naidu has been trying to build bridges with the BJP for the last two years, Mr. Pawan Kalyan is arduously working to get the BJP into the JSP-TDP alliance to unseat the YSRCP.
“At this juncture, the BJP cadre is confused, and an early announcement of party’s line on alliance with the TDP-JSP combine will help them move forward,” says another leader.
As a part of the election preparedness, the BJP State unit has constituted five clusters and appointed in-charges and co-incharges to strengthen the party at the ground level.
Meanwhile, BJP State president Daggubati Purandeswari, along with nearly 200 leaders, has left for New Delhi to attend the National Council meeting.
