It looks like Jana Sena Party chief and power star Pawan Kalyan is making last ditch attempts to forge a seat-sharing agreement with Bharatiya Janata Party in the forthcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.
Pawan Kalyan issued a statement a couple of days ago that Jana Sena would go it alone in the GHMC polls, apparently upset by the decision of the BJP to fight the elections independently despite an alliance between the two parties.
He even declared that his party would contest in 40 divisions.
However, sources said, he opened the door for backroom negotiations with the BJP at the eleventh hour.
On Thursday, there was a statement from P Hari Prasad, party’s official spokesman, stating that BJP and Jana Sena would explore the possibility of forging an alliance in the GHMC polls.
The statement said BJP state president Bandi Sanjay and other senior leaders of the BJP would come to the residence of Pawan Kalyan in Hyderabad on Thursday afternoon to discuss the seat sharing pact with the two parties.
However, within no time, there was a different statement from BJP state official spokesperson Rakesh Reddy stating that there was no such meeting between BJP and Jana Sena.
“It has come to our notice that Janasena has released a letter to media saying BJP leaders will meet Pawan Kalyan. There is no such meeting scheduled between Pawan and BJP leaders,” Reddy said in the media statement.
Meanwhile, Bandi Sanjay also issued a statement stating that there are no alliances with any party and the BJP would fight the GHMC elections on its own.
So, it is very clear that the BJP is not interested in alliance with Jana Sena in the GHMC polls.
Apparently, the Telangana BJP leaders are of the view that if the BJP joins hands with Jana Sena, the TRS might raise the regional sentiment again.
“There is every possibility of the TRS campaigning against the BJP stating that the latter had tied up with an Andhra party like Jana Sena. In the last elections, the BJP paid a heavy price by joining hands with Telugu Desam Party which was branded as an Andhra party. We don’t want it to be repeated now,” a BJP leader said.