If the reports coming from the national capital of Delhi are to be believed, the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership is understood to be putting pressure on YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to hold early assembly elections in the state.
According to these reports, the issue of early elections to the state assembly came up for discussion during Jagan's meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday night.
Shah reportedly suggested to Jagan, apparently quoting intelligence reports, that it would be better to hold the assembly elections in November or December, along with Telangana assembly elections, as the chances of the YSRCP winning the elections with a comfortable majority are higher.
However, if the elections are held as per the schedule in May next year, along with the Lok Sabha elections, the YSRC might face a tough time, he reportedly told Jagan.
The chief minister, however, did not give any response to Amit Shah's advice because he has his own calculations. He knows that the BJP has its own selfish motives in suggesting early elections. He is confident that the YSRC will return to power, and thus, he is not unduly worried.
The BJP has no love lost for the YSRC in asking for early polls. If the elections are held early, and the YSRC wins, it would have an advantage in the Lok Sabha elections, and the BJP could seek YSRC's support in Parliament if necessary in the post-election scenario.
If the TDP wins the assembly elections, the BJP can play the same trick with it and restore the ties with it after the Lok Sabha polls. So, early elections in Andhra Pradesh will be a sort of test for the BJP to change its strategy according to its convenience, an analyst said.