'Win-win situation for Andhra': BJP seals seat-sharing deal with TDP, Jana Sena

The alliance among the BJP, the TDP and the Jana Sena Party has been stitched to bolster the progress of Andhra Pradesh and its people, and the seat-sharing modalities would be deliberated in a day or two, the three parties said in a joint statement on Saturday.

"We hope that the alliance will come up to the expectation of the people of Andhra Pradesh with their wholehearted support," BJP president JP Nadda, Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party's (JSP) Pawan Kalyan said in the joint statement.

They said that under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the three parties have decided to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh assembly elections together as they are committed to the progress of the country and the upliftment of the state and its people.

BJP, TDP recall old ties

The statement said that Prime Minister Modi has been working tirelessly for the development and progress of the nation for the last 10 years and the coming together of the BJP with the TDP and the JSP will help achieve the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

"The BJP and the TDP have a very old relationship together. The TDP joined the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in 1996 and has worked together successfully in governments led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi," it added. In 2014, the TDP and the BJP fought the Lok Sabha polls and assembly elections together.

Earlier, Naidu told a group of reporters that the BJP, the Jana Sena Party, led by actor Pawan Kalyan, and his party have arrived at an understanding for an alliance for the elections likely to be held in April-May, expressing confidence that together, they will sweep the polls.

The Lok Sabha and Assembly polls will be held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh.

‘YSRCP has destroyed Andhra’

Lashing out at the state's ruling YSR Congress Party and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Naidu said, “Andhra Pradesh has been destroyed badly. The BJP and the TDP coming together is a win-win situation for the country and the state.” Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, he said several good things are happening in the country under his government but the southern state has been going backward.

While wealth creation is a top priority for Modi, "wealth destruction" is the top priority for the YSR Congress, Naidu said.

TDP to contest most of seats

Though he did not specify the number of seats each party in the alliance will contest, sources said the BJP and the Jana Sena may together contest around eight Lok Sabha and 30 Assembly seats. The TDP is likely to field candidates from the remaining 17 Lok Sabha and 145 Assembly seats.

The BJP, which is eying to boost its Lok Sabha tally, may contest six parliamentary and as many Assembly seats in the southern state, the sources said.

The TDP exited the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2018 after its demand that the Centre should grant special category status to the southern state was not met.

Naidu invites PM for rally

Naidu is learnt to have invited the prime minister to attend a proposed joint rally of the alliance in Guntur on March 17. Incidentally, the Congress has also planned a rally in Mumbai on the same day to mark the end of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

There is also a buzz that the BJP may have a get together of principal NDA leaders to highlight the growing strength of its alliance, which was recently joined by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar.

The BJP is also in talks with Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for an alliance.

(With agency inputs)