YSRCP sits pretty, as Kalyan’s Opp grand alliance pitch stirs Naidu, leaves BJP cold

The actor-politician had made similar remarks while addressing the JSP’s 9th foundation day event on March 14. His renewed pitch for the Opposition parties’ grand alliance, made in Kurnool nearly a month later, assumes further significance because it came barely two days after the principal Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP)’s president N Chandrababu Naidu also called for a united Opposition bid to dislodge the Jagan Reddy government. The TDP was part of an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the JSP in the 2014 polls, but the party had walked out of it ahead of the 2019 polls.

Although Kalyan maintained that his party will continue its tie-up with the BJP, his call for getting more allies ranged against the YSRCP, does not seem to have a resonance for the saffron party, which apparently does not want anything to do with the TDP.

“BJP leaders including Amit Shah have made it clear that there is no question of tying up with TDP again. We are done with TDP,’’ said AP BJP chief Somu Veerraju.

Sources in the YSRCP said that Naidu was trying to cosy up to the BJP now after exiting the NDA on a bitter note two years ago. His call to the TDP leaders and cadre during his recent visit to Kakinada district that they may have to make sacrifices is being seen as a hint that the TDP would be willing to share seats with any ally at its own expense.

“An alternative is required for the future of Andhra Pradesh, to free people from the chaotic YSRCP rule,’’ Kalyan said while speaking during his “Kaulu (tenant farmers) Rythu Bharosa Yatra” in Kurnool district Sunday. “If the state is to be saved from YSRCP, the anti-government vote should not split. If it splits and YSRCP wins, Andhra Pradesh will be pushed into darkness,’’ he said. “The reason I am saying it is because the YSRCP government is failing the people. Tenant farmers are killing themselves but the government is not supporting them. There are no jobs for youth. No new industry is coming to the state. Law and order situation has worsened. The roads are in bad shape across the state, and there is power shortage. After seeing all this, I thought there should be a strong alternative government and that all should join hands for the future of Andhra Pradesh.’’

The JSP chief also said, “Political alliances are not for an individual’s growth but for the benefit of the people. BJP and Jana Sena had contested jointly in the 2014 elections, and we will decide about the alliances before elections. In my view, the alliance must be useful for people.”

Charging that the state’s law and order situation has worsened, Kalyan said if anyone points to any incident in this regard, “the ministers dismiss the incident as a minor one”. “Their (ministers’) attitude of holding mothers responsible for the wrongs committed by children is humiliating. Rape does not reflect the upbringing of the victim, and YSRCP’s statements show they are incapable of ensuring safety of women. Under these circumstances, a strong alternative must emerge. During the Emergency, all parties came forward unitedly and fought against the Congress party. It will be known in the future how far everyone with broad perspectives come together by understanding the existing situation. There is much time for the elections and a debate shall take place on the issue. At present, we are in alliance with BJP and we will explain the situation of Andhra Pradesh to the Centre,’’ he said.

As part of the Rythu Bharosa Yatra in Kurnool, the JSP is providing an assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to 130 families of tenant farmers Monday.  The party chief said that about 90 per cent of the state’s land is cultivated by tenant farmers, adding “These tenant farmers are in trouble now and taking the extreme step of killing themselves because of accumulating debts as they are not getting a good price even if they sell their crops”.

Sharpening his attack on the Reddy dispensation, Kalyan said with 151 MLAs and 22 Lok Sabha MPs it could have resolved many problems easily. “But instead of using it to the state’s advantage, they are saying whatever they want and using their brute majority to silence others,’’ he alleged.

Dismissing Kalyan’s proposed anti-YSRCP grand alliance, the Reddy government’s advisor (public affairs), Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, said the ruling party was not worried about it. “Let Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan first decide who wants to be the CM. Will Naidu make the sacrifice? Will Kalyan agree for Naidu as CM? We only see BJP and Jana Sena. BJP does not want TDP in the alliance. We do not see any logic or rationale behind the statements they are making,” he said. “YSRCP government is implementing people’s agenda and Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy continues to remain the most popular leader in the state, and people are with him. YSRCP will contest alone and defeat everyone.’’