The Bharatiya Janata Party's unusual silence regarding a possible alliance with the Telugu Desam Party and Jana Sena Party in the upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh has sparked widespread speculation.
While the TDP, led by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and the Jana Sena Party, led by power star Pawan Kalyan, are hopeful about the BJP joining their alliance, BJP leaders are maintaining a stoic silence.
It has been two weeks since Naidu met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, but there has been no follow-up. Similarly, Pawan Kalyan has hinted at going to New Delhi shortly to finalize the deal, but he has not yet received any appointment.
It seems that the BJP leadership only agreed to meet Naidu due to continued pressure from Pawan Kalyan. This was indirectly admitted by the Jana Sena chief himself, who told reporters in Bhimavaram on Wednesday that he had requested and convinced the BJP to join the TDP-Jana Sena Party alliance to avoid splitting the anti-incumbency vote.
Sources suggest that, aside from a few, both BJP leaders in Andhra Pradesh and the national leadership in Delhi are not enthusiastic about joining hands with the TDP. However, they have reluctantly agreed to consider Pawan Kalyan’s request.
Pawan Kalyan himself acknowledged this, stating, "I faced opposition from many top BJP leaders when I proposed an alliance with the TDP and BJP to prevent the anti-establishment vote in Andhra."
He emphasized that the only way to defeat the YSR Congress party, led by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, is for all three parties to come together and prevent anti-YSRCP votes.
He reiterated that he proposed the alliance not for personal gain but for the greater good of the state, pleading with BJP leaders to join the alliance for the welfare of Andhra Pradesh.