Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is facing a peculiar situation with regard to his party’s relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
It is true that Naidu had been in favour of allying with the BJP till a few months ago and made hectic lobbying to get back into the saffron fold.
He thought the TDP-Jana Sena combine may find it difficult to come to power in the upcoming elections in Andhra Pradesh without the support of the BJP.
But with the BJP not evincing interest in joining the alliance, Naidu has remained silent.
In the meantime, his own internal surveys have revealed that the TDP has bright chances of winning the elections in alliance with the TDP.
Even the political strategists’ team hired by him also indicated that the TDP-Jana Sena combine stands to gain more without an alliance with the BJP, because the minorities are getting inclined towards Naidu.
Even noted political strategist Prashant Kishor told Naidu that if the BJP joins the alliance, there is a danger that the TDP-Jana Sena Party combine might lose at least three percent of votes.
So, as Naidu-Pawan Kalyan are getting ready to go ahead with their own alliance, there are reports that BJP might announce its decision to go with the alliance in Andhra Pradesh. These reports are now said to be creating panic among the TDP-Jana Sena leaders.
Naidu cannot reject the BJP at this stage, as there is every possibility that the saffron party-led Centre might indirectly support the YSRCP and help it in manipulating the election results. If that happens, the TDP-Jana Sena combine may have to face the debacle.
If Naidu accepts the BJP into the alliance, he will have to part with a few more seats of his party to the saffron party, creating disturbance within the TDP. At the same time, it will lose the support of whatever percentage of minorities in the elections. That again may make a difference in its electoral prospects.
“Either way, the TDP will be in trouble,” sources said.