Post Andhra poll losses, estranged friends BJP and Jana Sena to partner again

Estranged friends, BJP and Jana Sena Party (JSP) of Telugu actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan appear all set to join hands again in Andhra Pradesh.

The two parties went together with Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP in 2014 polls and the alliance was a success. But the issue of special category status for the truncated state, which the Narendra Modi government was not agreeable to, caused friction in their friendship.

The three parties went separate ways in 2019, which analysts believe was the major factor for Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSRCP’s landslide victory in May, besides an anti-incumbency sentiment against Naidu.

TDP got 23 MLAs, JSP one and BJP none.

Since Reddy came to power, Kalyan was critical of his several decisions especially the issue of shifting capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam.

A meeting of the JSP supremo with BJP working president J P Nadda in New Delhi on Monday took place in the context of the ongoing agitation of the Amaravati farmers against the capital shift plans.

"We have discussed how we two parties can have a good working relationship. We have in principle agreed to come on one platform to represent public issues and work for the development of AP,” Nadendla Manohar, senior JSP leader told DH.

“It also means contesting elections together,” Kalyan’s deputy said.

Karnataka connection

In the New Delhi meeting with Nadda and BJP general secretary B L Santhosh, Kalyan and Nadendla were accompanied by Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya.

Surya posted a picture from the meeting from his twitter handle.

"Met (all names) to discuss current and future political scenario of AP,” he stated.

A JSP leader described Surya as a long-time admirer of Pawan Kalyan and that Surya had met PK (Pawan Kalyan) a few days back.

Calls and messages made to Surya to know his exact involvement in the meet were not answered back.

A senior BJP leader in New Delhi familiar with AP politics told DH that Santhosh's presence could be because of his position as in-charge of party organisation.

On Tuesday, Kalyan visited Kakinada where JSP activists were injured in alleged attacks by the YSRCP cadre. The Sunday altercation was following the local YSRCP MLA Dwarampudi Chanderasekhar Reddy’s impertinent comments against Kalyan.

Later addressing media, Nadendla and Kalyan announced that a joint meeting of JSP and BJP leaders would take place on Thursday, following which the contour of their partnership would be announced.