The alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Jana Sena Party, formed to contest the upcoming May 13 elections in Andhra Pradesh, appears to be showing signs of strain. Despite the formalization of the alliance over a month ago, there seems to be a lack of active collaboration among the partners, particularly from the BJP.
While the TDP and Jana Sena leaders have held joint rallies and engaged in extensive electioneering, BJP leaders have been noticeably absent from the campaign scene. Since the official rally on March 17, which was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, there has been little evidence of the BJP participating in the alliance’s joint campaign activities.
A senior TDP leader, who requested anonymity, noted that key BJP figures like former state president Somu Veerraju and other prominent leaders have been silent and have not actively participated in the joint rallies. The report mentioned that BJP leaders opposed to the alliance with TDP have been keeping a low profile, further adding to the uncertainty within the alliance.
The absence of BJP representation at joint rallies is reflected in the fact that only D Purandeswari, the BJP state president, has participated in a TDP-Jana Sena rally at Nidadavolu, mainly because she is contesting from the Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha constituency. Other BJP leaders and cadres seem reluctant to join the campaign efforts, and the proposed common manifesto of the three parties has not been finalized.
Political analysts suggest that the BJP’s ambivalence towards the TDP alliance stems from its dual strategy in Andhra Pradesh. The BJP aims to win seats by joining forces with TDP and Jana Sena, yet does not wish to alienate the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, with whom the BJP has maintained cordial relations in recent years. This double-edged strategy might explain the lack of public criticism by BJP leaders against the YSRCP or Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government, despite being part of the opposition alliance.
As the election campaigns progress, the dynamics between the BJP, TDP, and Jana Sena will be closely watched to see if they can bridge their differences and work effectively to challenge the YSRCP’s dominance in Andhra Pradesh.
