Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party on Friday announced withdrawal of its candidates from the GHMC polls and extended full support to the BJP candidates. Earlier, the BJP had denied any such pact even after the Jana Sena issued a public statement that an alliance was being discussed.
The decision was made public after Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy and National OBC president K. Laxman called on Mr. Kalyan and his chief aide Nadendla Manohar with a request to support the BJP. “I have supported the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi right from 2014 elections and this belief only got strengthened with the recent Bihar elections and the Dubbak byboll,” said the matinee idol-cum-politician at Mr Manohar’s residence in Jubilee Hills.
COVID-19 pandemic resulted in “confusion and communication gap” which led to his party allowing nominations to be filed by its members. However, “the candidates will now withdraw from the race and strive to get the mayor elected from the BJP. We need Mr. Modi’s leadership to make Hyderabad a world-class city keeping aside our polarising politics with regard to region, caste or community. Political stability and strong leadership is the need of hour, so our cadre should not be disheartened,” he said.
The recent devastation due to floods was because of “human errors” but more due to the TRS government’s “apathy” and “neglect”, alleged Mr. Kishan Reddy. The government has been making tall promises with little action on the ground, he said and questioned where the ₹67,000 crore was spent. “People are seeking answers about the funds. Where are the two-bedroom houses? People are seeking change,” he said.
Mr. Laxman expressed happiness over Jana Sena’s gesture and said partnership between both parties will continue in future.