New Delhi: With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections simply months away, the political panorama of the nation is witnessing some main shifts. One of them is the upcoming return of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The TDP, headed by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, had give up the NDA in March 2018, accusing the BJP of ignoring its pleas to grant Special Category Status (SCS) to the state, which was bifurcated to create Telangana in 2014. The TDP had additionally moved a no-confidence movement in opposition to the Modi authorities within the Lok Sabha.
However, after nearly six years of separation, the TDP is all set to affix NDA, information company ANI reported quoting a TDP spokesperson. TDP National Spokesperson Prem Kumar Jain stated on Friday that the TDP, BJP and Jana Sena Party (JSP) will come to energy in Andhra Pradesh within the subsequent Assembly elections, which can be held together with the Lok Sabha polls.
The JSP, which is led by actor Pawan Kalyan and has been a member of the NDA, has already joined fingers with the TDP. The state has 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly seats. The Lok Sabha elections are anticipated to be held in April-May.
On Thursday, Naidu and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan, who can be a well-liked actor, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda in Delhi. The assembly was seen as a precursor to the formal announcement of the alliance.
Why TDP Wants To Ally With BJP
According to political analysts, the TDP’s resolution to re-enter the NDA fold is a win-win scenario for each the events. For the TDP, an alliance with the BJP will increase its electoral prospects and assist it problem the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.
A TDP MP advised Indian Express that when the alliance is asserted, Reddy must tackle the BJP immediately within the state, as an alternative of supporting or serving to it. “Currently, YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy is helping or supporting the BJP. Once a TDP-BJP alliance is formally announced, he will be forced to take the BJP head-on in the state,” the MP stated.
The TDP additionally needs to safe the Centre’s help, as Naidu faces a number of corruption circumstances within the state. He was arrested in September final 12 months in reference to the alleged Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation rip-off. The TDP-JSP alliance was introduced whereas he was in jail.
How BJP Will Gain From TDP Tie-Up?
The BJP, then again, may also profit from the alliance with the TDP. The celebration believes that Naidu will assist the NDA carry out nicely within the state, which is dominated by the YSRCP. The BJP needs to develop its presence within the southern state, which is the one area the place it has not established its electoral power. A BJP chief advised The Telegraph, “To achieve the 400-plus tally we need to win a good number of seats in southern states in addition to achieving saturation in the north, west and central states.”
The BJP, which has not been in a position to make a mark in Andhra Pradesh, is eyeing to extend its vote share and seat tally within the state. The celebration has set an bold goal of profitable 370 Lok Sabha seats by itself and 400 with allies, below Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s management.
The TDP, whereas not a big vote-catcher in Andhra, will bolster the BJP’s election equipment with its organisational may and expertise.
BJP-TDP Alliance’s Past Performance In LS Polls
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and the TDP had fought collectively as a part of the NDA and had received 19 seats — 16 by the TDP and three by the BJP — in undivided Andhra. After the formation of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats, of which the BJP hopes to contest on six-eight seats.
In 2019, when the 2 events parted methods and fought individually, the TDP’s vote share remained nearly intact however its seats dropped to only three. The BJP drew a clean and obtained solely 0.98% of the votes, lower than NOTA’s 1.5%.
