Andhra Pradesh: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan working on BJP-TDP alliance for 2024

VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena chief and Tollywood star Pawan Kalyan's statement that he will convince the BJP leadership for an alliance with its one-time ally TDP for the 2024 elections is likely to pave way for a new political realignment in the state.
Though Pawan's announcement at a public meeting late on Friday night has come under sharp criticism from ruling YSR Congress, the BJP leadership preferred to remain silent. Pawan has emphasised the need to keep the anti-incumbency vote undivided and to achieve this he has suggested an alliance between BJP, TDP and Jana Sena.
Jana Sena is already in alliance with BJP, while TDP is looking forward to restoring its 2014 relationship with BJP. However, BJP leaders are at least not openly interested to have an alliance with TDP again as they had a "bitter experience" with TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu before the 2019 general elections.
The TDP president had aligned with Congress at the national level and joined Congress-led rallies against BJP. He shared the dais with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the national level.
Naidu had campaigned for the defeat of the BJP in the elections. The TDP also campaigned against BJP in Karnataka Assembly elections. Though the BJP leadership, both in the state and at the Centre, had reiterated its intentions of not forging an alliance with the TDP again, TDP leaders are making every effort to restore the relationship.
Naidu too is in favour of keeping the anti-incumbency vote intact to defeat YSR Congress. He has even offered to make some sacrifices to cement the alliance giving considerable representation to other parties. Pawan Kalyan has subscribed to this argument and he is now said to be working to restore the alliance between the TDP and the BJP. He said he would hold consultations with the top leadership of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and bring the two parties to renew their 2014 relationship.
YSR Congress legislator Topudurti Prakash Reddy took strong exception to the Jana Sena chief ’s comments on alliance. “By admitting that he would unite TDP and BJP, Pawan Kalyan agreed that they alone can’t defeat Jagan Mohan Reddy,” the MLA said. He also dared the TDP and the Jana Sena to come together and face the 2024 election and affirmed that the YSR Congress would repeat its victory again despite the Naidu and Pawan conspiring. Meanwhile, Naidu said that he would soon release the list of candidates for the next election giving 40 per cent seats to new and young faces.