TDP Chief Meets HM Amit Shah, BJP President Nadda Amid Speculations of Alliance in Andhra Pradesh

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th Feb. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu held crucial meetings with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda on Wednesday, raising speculations of a potential alliance between the two parties ahead of the upcoming polls in Andhra Pradesh.

With both Lok Sabha and assembly elections scheduled simultaneously in the state, Naidu’s visit to Shah’s residence, reportedly attended by Nadda, hints at discussions over a possible collaboration between the TDP and the BJP.

Should Naidu decide to rejoin the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), he would become the second major regional leader to do so after Janata Dal (United) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s recent transition to the BJP’s fold.

Sources indicate that Naidu is enthusiastic about aligning with the BJP, and some factions within the ruling party believe that such a coalition could bolster the NDA’s prospects in Andhra Pradesh, currently governed by the YSR Congress.

A senior BJP leader expressed openness to forming an alliance, contingent upon the number of seats the TDP, the primary opposition party in the state, is willing to allocate, especially for the Lok Sabha elections.

Previously, both parties contested together in the 2014 polls, securing victories in the then-united state of Andhra Pradesh. Following Telangana’s formation, Andhra Pradesh now holds 25 Lok Sabha seats, with the BJP reportedly eyeing six to eight of them.

The TDP’s departure from the NDA in 2018 led to electoral setbacks in 2019, winning only three Lok Sabha seats and losing power in the state to the YSR Congress. However, changing political dynamics have prompted the BJP to reconsider ties with the TDP, which has been actively pursuing a revival of their alliance.

Additionally, the Jana Sena Party, led by actor Pawan Kalyan and a former BJP ally, has already decided to collaborate with the TDP, further shaping the evolving political landscape in Andhra Pradesh.