Hyderabad: After months of ambiguity, actor-turned-politician and Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan rekindled his partnership with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh (AP), announcing a pre-poll alliance with main opposition party. The decision was made after Kalyan met former AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday in Rajamahendravaram central prison where the latter was sent after being arrested in the ‘skill development’ case.
Addressing the media, Pawan Kalyan said, “Until now I was only exploring the possibility of an alliance with TDP. I had not made a decision. But now we have firmly decided to join hands with TDP and remove YSRCP from power in Andhra Pradesh in 2024 elections. A joint action committee of the party leaders will be formed soon to chart out future course of action, he added.
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu was recently arrested following a high drama for his alleged involvement in AP skill development corporation scam. He was accused of misapropriation of Rs 371 crore. According to AP CID, Naidu and TDP were direct beneficiaries of the alleged scam.
Pawan Kalyan, TDP politburo member Nandamuri Balakrishna, and party general secretary Nara Lokesh, who also Naidu’s son, met the TDP national president in the Central Jail on Thursday afternoon at 12-15 pm. The discussion took place for about 40 minutes.
Subsequently, Pawan Kalyan held a press conference and announced the alliance with TDP for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls, which is slated to be held with the Lok Sabha elections next year in April-May.
According to a senior TDP leader, BJP is currently out of any alliance equation. “It may be that they want us to really ask for it, and will say yes towards the 2024 elections. But as of now, nobody is talking about any alliance with the BJP. They have not openly also said anything, so why should we?” he told Siasat.com.
The TDP and JSP in AP had been in discussions to rekindle their alliance in recent months. Naidu had even met BJP national president JP Nadda earlier in June, leading to rumours that TDP was set to rejoin the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Nothing however was announced afterwards. Naidu was with the NDA until 2018, when he quit after the Centre did not give ‘Special Category Status’ to AP.
Subsequently, Pawan Kalyan also surprised Naidu and withdrew support to the TDP the same year. In the 2019 state polls, the BJP, JSP and BJP contested the elections separately. Naidu had come to power in AP in 2014 with support from the BJP and Pawan Kalyan.
The ruling YSR Congress Party, headed by current AP chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in the 2019 polls clinched a historic win by bagging 151 out of 175 seats in the state Assembly. The TDP and JSP won 23 and one seat respectectively.
